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Ch 12: Rotation of a Rigid Body
Chapter 12, Problem 12

Determine the moment of inertia about the axis of the object shown in FIGURE P12.52.

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1
Identify the shape and mass distribution of the object. If the object is composed of simple geometric shapes (like cylinders, spheres, or rods), use standard formulas for these shapes to calculate the moment of inertia.
Determine the axis of rotation. The moment of inertia depends on the axis about which the object rotates. Make sure to understand whether the axis is through the center of mass or along an edge or diameter.
Apply the parallel axis theorem if necessary. If the axis of rotation is not through the center of mass, you may need to use the parallel axis theorem, which states that $I = I_{cm} + Md^2$, where $I_{cm}$ is the moment of inertia about the center of mass, $M$ is the total mass, and $d$ is the distance from the center of mass to the new axis.
Sum the moments of inertia for each component of the object. If the object is composed of multiple parts, calculate the moment of inertia for each part separately and then sum them to find the total moment of inertia about the given axis.
Check units and consistency. Ensure that all units are consistent (e.g., mass in kilograms, distance in meters) and that the final answer is expressed in terms of kg·m², which is the unit for moment of inertia.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Moment of Inertia

The moment of inertia is a scalar value that quantifies an object's resistance to rotational motion about a specific axis. It depends on the mass distribution relative to that axis; the further the mass is from the axis, the greater the moment of inertia. It is calculated using the formula I = Σ(m_i * r_i^2), where m_i is the mass of each particle and r_i is the distance from the axis of rotation.
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Axis of Rotation

The axis of rotation is an imaginary line around which an object rotates. The choice of this axis is crucial because the moment of inertia varies with different axes. For example, the moment of inertia about a central axis will differ from that about an edge, affecting the dynamics of the object's rotation.
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Parallel Axis Theorem

Parallel Axis Theorem

The parallel axis theorem is a principle that allows the calculation of the moment of inertia of an object about any axis parallel to an axis through its center of mass. It states that I = I_cm + Md^2, where I_cm is the moment of inertia about the center of mass, M is the total mass, and d is the distance between the two axes. This theorem is particularly useful when dealing with composite objects.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
FIGURE P12.82 shows a cube of mass m sliding without friction at speed v₀. It undergoes a perfectly elastic collision with the bottom tip of a rod of length d and mass M = 2m. The rod is pivoted about a frictionless axle through its center, and initially it hangs straight down and is at rest. What is the cube's velocity—both speed and direction—after the collision?
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Textbook Question
During most of its lifetime, a star maintains an equilibrium size in which the inward force of gravity on each atom is balanced by an outward pressure force due to the heat of the nuclear reactions in the core. But after all the hydrogen 'fuel' is consumed by nuclear fusion, the pressure force drops and the star undergoes a gravitational collapse until it becomes a neutron star. In a neutron star, the electrons and protons of the atoms are squeezed together by gravity until they fuse into neutrons. Neutron stars spin very rapidly and emit intense pulses of radio and light waves, one pulse per rotation. These 'pulsing stars' were discovered in the 1960s and are called pulsars. a. A star with the mass (M = 2.0 X 10^30 kg) and size (R = 7.0 x 10^8 m) of our sun rotates once every 30 days. After undergoing gravitational collapse, the star forms a pulsar that is observed by astronomers to emit radio pulses every 0.10 s. By treating the neutron star as a solid sphere, deduce its radius.
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Textbook Question
The bunchberry flower has the fastest-moving parts ever observed in a plant. Initially, the stamens are held by the petals in a bent position, storing elastic energy like a coiled spring. When the petals release, the tips of the stamen act like medieval catapults, flipping through a 60° angle in just .30 ms to launch pollen from anther sacs at their ends. The human eye just sees a burst of pollen; only high-speed photography reveals the details. As FIGURE CP12.91 shows, we can model the stamen tip as a 1.0-mm-long, 10 μg rigid rod with a 10 μg anther sac at the end. Although oversimplifying, we'll assume a constant angular acceleration. b. What is the speed of the anther sac as it releases its pollen?
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Textbook Question
A rod of length L and mass M has a nonuniform mass distribution. The linear mass density (mass per length) is λ = cx^2 , where x is measured from the center of the rod and c is a constant. b. Find an expression for c in terms of L and M.
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Textbook Question
The two blocks in FIGURE CP12.86 are connected by a massless rope that passes over a pulley. The pulley is 12 cm in diameter and has a mass of 2.0 kg. As the pulley turns, friction at the axle exerts a torque of magnitude 0.50 N m. If the blocks are released from rest, how long does it take the 4.0 kg block to reach the floor?
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Textbook Question

A 25 kg solid door is 220 cm tall, 91 cm wide. What is the door’s moment of inertia for (b) rotation about a vertical axis inside the door, 15 cm from one edge?

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