Dynamics Mechanics

Moment of inertia and angular acceleration with Cobra3 1.3.13-11

What you can learn about

 Angular velocity
 Rotation
 Moment
 Torque
 Moment of inertia
 Rotational energy

Principle:
If a constant torque is applied to a
body that rotates without friction
around a fixed axis, the changing
angle of rotation increases propor-
tionally to the square of the time and
the angular velocity proportional to
the time.

What you need:

Cobra3 Basic Unit 12150.00 1
Power supply, 12 V- 12151.99 1
RS232 cable 14602.00 1
Translation/Rotation Software 14512.61 1
Light barrier, compact 11207.20 1
Blower 13770.97 1
Pressure tube, l = 1,5 m 11205.01 1
Air bearing 02417.01 1
Turntable with angle scale 02417.02 2
Holding device with cable release 02417.04 1
Aperture plate for turntable 02417.05 1
Slotted weight, 1 g, polished 03916.00 9
Potential energy and additionally the rotational energy.
Slotted weight, 10 g, black 02205.01 3
Slotted weight, 50 g, silver bronze 02206.02 2
Silk thread, l = 200 m 02412.00 1
Weight holder, 10 g 02204.00 1 Tasks:
Bench clamp -PASS- 02010.00 2 1. Measurement of the laws of angle
and angular velocity according to
Tripod -PASS- 02002.55 1 time for a uniform rotation move-
Stand tube 02060.00 1 ment.
Support rod, l = 250 mm 02031.00 1 2. Measurement of the laws of angle
Measuring tape, l = 2 m 09936.00 1 and angular velocity according to
Circular level 02122.00 1 time for a uniformly accelerated
rotational movement.
Boss head 02043.00 1
Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, red 07363.01 1 3. Rotation angle  is proportional to
the time t required for the rota-
Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, blue 07363.04 1 tion.
Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, yellow 07363.02 1
PC, Windows 95 or higher

Complete Equipment Set, Manual on CD-ROM included

Moment of inertia and angular acceleration
with Cobra3 P2131311

PHYWE Systeme GmbH & Co. KG D - 37070 Gttingen Laboratory Experiments Physics 29
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Moment of inertia and angular acceleration with Cobra3 1.3.13
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Related topics Air bearing 02417.01 1

Angular velocity, rotation, moment, torque, moment of inertia, Turntable with angle scale 02417.02 2
rotational energy Holding device with cable release 02417.04 1
Aperture plate for turntable 02417.05 1
Principle Slotted weight, 1 g, polished 03916.00 9
If a constant torque is applied to a body that rotates without Slotted weight, 10 g, black 02205.01 3
friction around a fixed axis, the changing angle of rotation Slotted weight, 50 g, silver bronze 02206.02 2
increases proportionally to the square of the time and the Silk thread, l = 200 m 02412.00 1
angular velocity proportional to the time. Weight holder, 10 g 02204.00 1
Bench clamp -PASS- 02010.00 2
Task Tripod -PASS- 02002.55 1
1. Measurement of the laws of angle and angular velocity Stand tube 02060.00 1
according to time for a uniform rotation movement. Support rod, l = 250 mm 02031.00 1
2. Measurement of the laws of angle and angular velocity Measuring tape, l = 2 m 09936.00 1
according to time for a uniformly accelerated rotational Circular level 02122.00 1
movement. Boss head 02043.00 1
3. Rotation angle w is proportional to the time t required for the Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, red 07363.01 1
rotation. Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, blue 07363.04 1
Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, yellow 07363.02 1
Equipment
Cobra3 Basic Unit 12150.00 1 PC, WINDOWS 95 or higher
Power supply, 12 V- 12151.99 1
RS232 cable 14602.00 1 Alternative experimental set-ups are to be found at the end of
Translation/Rotation Software 14512.61 1 this experimental description.
Light barrier, compact 11207.20 1
Blower 13770.97 1 Set-up and procedure
Pressure tube, l = 1.5 m 11205.01 1 In accordance with Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Experimental set-up with the compact light barrier

PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21313-11 1
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1.3.13 Moment of inertia and angular acceleration with Cobra3
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Perform the electrical connection of the compact light barrier
to the Cobra3 Basic Unit according to Fig. 2. Ensure that the
thread that connects the axis of rotation with the wheel of the
light barrier is horizontal. Wind the thread approximately 15
times around the air bearings rotation axis.
Adjust the tripods feet such that the turntable is horizontal.
Adjust the air supply in such a manner that the rotor is just lift-
ed by the air pressure and rotates without vibration on its cush-
ion of air.
Set the measuring perameters according to Fig. 3.
Lay the silk thread across the wheel on the light barrier and
adjust the experimental set-up in such a manner that the 10-g
weight holder hangs freely. The cord groove on the wheel must
be in alignment with the silk thread.
Fig. 2. Connection of the compact light barrier to the Cobra3
Basic Unit
Place the stop plate (aperture plate for turntable) in the starting
position and fix it in position with the holding device. Enter the
diameter of the turntables axle (30 mm), around which the silk
thread will be rolled up, in the Axle diameter dialog box so
that the differing rotational velocities of the compact light bar-
rier and the axle of the turn table can be synchronised.
The end of the silk thread is loaded with the 10-g weight hold-
er and further additional weights.
Switch on the blower, actuate the cable release. The turntable
must not begin to vibrate. As soon as the turntable has started
to rotate, click on the Start measurement icon. Just before
the weight holder reaches the floor, click on the Stop mea-
surement icon. The mass must not oscillate during measure-
ment recording.
Remarks:
If the turntable does not rotate uniformly, check to see whether
allowing it to rotate in the opposite direction improves the sit-
uation. If necessary, change the air supply at the blower.

Theory and evaluation

S
The relationship between the angular momentum L of a rigid
body in the stationary coordinate system with its origin at the
S
centre of gravity, and the moment T acting on it (see Fig. 4),
is
S d S
T
L. (1)
dt

The angular momentum is expressed by the angular velocity

v and the inertia tensor I from
S

S S
L
I v .

In the present case, v has the direction of a principal inertia

S
S
axis (Z-axis), so that L has only one component:

LZ = IZ v

where IZ is the Z-compound of the principal inertia tensor of

the body. For this case, equation (1) reads
yellow blue red dv
TZ
IZ .
dt

Fig. 3. Measuring parameters Fig. 4. Moment of a weight force on the rotary plate

2 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21313-11

Moment of inertia and angular acceleration with Cobra3
S <omega (t)> shows the angular velocity-time curve, a straight
The moment of the force F (see Fig. 2)
S S
T
S
r  F
S is drawn through the measured points; the slope m indicates
r
F :
gives for S
TZ = r m g ,
so that the equation of motion reads
dv
mgr
IZ
IZ a .
dt
From this, one obtains
mgr
IZ
. stant.
a
The moment of inertia IZ of a body of density r (x, y, z) is
IZ = r (x, y, z) (x2 + y2) dx dy dz
In this experiment the measurement of the angle-time-law and
the angular velocity-time-law of the uniformly accelerated
rotary motion verifies the explained theory.
For the evaluation of the measured data do as follows:
After clicking on the Autoscale icon, all measured data are
displayed in full-screen mode (cf. Fig. 5). In addition to the
interesting measured points themselves (the rising branch of
the velocity-time curve), some points also may have been
measured which can be attributed to the termination of move-
ment phase (possible contact of the accelerating mass with the
floor or something similar). These measured points can be
deleted before proceeding with the further evaluation.
Fig. 5. Angular velocity-time laws of an accelerated rotational
movement with regression line
Fig. 6. Regression line in the at diagram
PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics
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1.3.13
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line which conforms to the relationship v = a t (Fig. 5). The
proportionality factor a represents the angular acceleration
#
v
a . If the Regression icon is clicked upon, a regression line
the angular acceleration a. In the example in Fig. 5, for exam-
ple a = 0.463 rad/s2. (The very noise onset of the measurement
is due to the low resolution of the spoked wheel at low veloci-
ties!)
Fig. 6 shows the time course of the angular acceleration. Here,
too, a linear regression line has been drawn. The segment of
the y axis b = 0.443 rad/s2 supplies the initial value of the angu-
lar acceleration a. For a uniformly accelerated rotary move-
ment, the angular acceleration as a function of time is con-
Fig. 7 shows the curve of the path-time law, which exhibits a
parabolic course, in which the measured points have been
strongly emphasised.
The parabolic course of the path-time law can be verified as
follows (Fig. 8):
The time axis is squared to obtain a linearized curve course.
Using the Measurement / Channel Manager, the time is placed
on the x and the y axes. The is necessary as only the y axes
can be mathematically reworked.
Using Analysis / Channel modification, the operation x := x * x
is performed on the y axis. This new channel is exported into
the original measurement (Export Measurement / Measuring
Channel). Finally, using Measurement / Channel Manager, the
new squared time is assigned to the x axis and the angle j, to
the y axis. The regression line in Fig. 8 proves that the curve
course is now linear and thus also the original quadratic
dependence of the path on the time.
Fig. 7. Angle-time diagram with individual measure points
Fig. 8. Angle-time2 diagram
PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21313-11 3
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1.3.13 Moment of inertia and angular acceleration with Cobra3
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The turntable is accelerated by the vertically moving mass. The In this exemplary measurement the following is valid:
effective torque M is calculated according to m (slope) = 0.463 rad/s2 = v/t
M = r m g = 0.015 m 0.051 kg 9.81 m/s2
M=rmg = 0.0075 kg m2/s2

where: 0.0075 kg m2 >s2

J
.
0.463 rad > s2
r Radius of the axle bolt or of the driving
wheel used
m Accelerated mass
g = 9.81 m/s2 Acceleration of gravity = 0.0162 kg m2.

The relationship between the torque impulse M t, the moment The moment of inertia J is also obtained in another way:
of inertia J and angular velocity v is the following: The dynamic action of torques is the angular acceleration.
Torque and angular acceleration are proportional to each other:
M t = J v.

Thus, for the moment of inertia J the following is true: M=Ja.

M rmg
J

0.0075 kg m2>s2
v >t v>t
. M
In an v(t) graph (Fig 5) the v(t) relationship is exactly the slope
of the regression line. To calculate J, the accelerating mass m
and the radius r (1.5 cm) of the rotational axis around which the
thread is wound must be taken into consideration.
Fig. 9. Rotational energy of accelerated rotary movement
therefore
J


a a
= 0.0169 kg m2.
From Fig. 6 one obtains a from the y axis segment of the
regression line.
The rotational energy (Fig. 9): Erot(t) = 0.5 J v2 , in this case J
= 0.0165 kg/m2. Conversion by: Analysis / Channel modifica-
tion / Operation x := 0.5 * 0.0165 * x * x, where x = v(t).
Potential energy (Fig. 10): Epot(t) = m g (h - s (t )), where h =
0.77 m and s (t ) = w(t) r.
Conversion using: Analysis / Channel modification / Operation
x := 0.051 * 9.81 * (0.77 - x * 0.015), where x = w(t).
The law of conservation of energy states that the sum of the
kinetic and potential energy in this closed system must be con-
stant. This statement can be easily checked by the addition of
potential and kinetic energy (Fig. 11).
Remark: The accelerated mass m becomes increasingly more
rapid in the course of the experiment and thus receives an
increasing kinetic energy. However, this energy is extremely
small compared to the two other energy forms present and can
thus be neglected in the calculation.

Fig. 10. Potential energy and additionally the rotational energy Fig. 11. Energy balance, Etotal = Erot + Epot

4 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21313-11
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Moment of inertia and angular acceleration with Cobra3 1.3.13
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Remarks
At extremely slow angular velocities, signal transients or defor-
mations can occur. These can be reduced if the sampling rate
is changed.
Angular velocities that are too small cannot be measured by
the wheel on the light barrier and are plotted as a reference
line.
Instead of the compact light barrier (11207.20), the movement
sensor (12004.10) can also be used (see Fig. 12: The thread is
horizontal and is placed in the larger of the two cord grooves
on the movement sensor.) In this case the following additional
equipment is required:

Equipment red
Movement sensor with cable 12004.10 1 black
Adapter, BNC-socket/4mm plug pair 07542.27 1 yellow
Adapter, socket-plug, 4 mm 07542.20 1 BNC1
BNC2
Fig. 12. Connection of the movement sensor to the Cobra3
Basic Unit

PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21313-11 5
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1.3.13 Moment of inertia and angular acceleration with Cobra3
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6 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21313-11