482 The Physics Teacher Vol.

53, NoVember 2015

symmetry. Finally, by the perpendicular axis theorem (see
Ref. 3, p. 265), the moment of inertia I of a slender square
frame about a perpendicular axis through its center (the z-
axis in Fig. 1) satisfies the following relation I Iz = Ix + Iy,
which together with
(4)
where a and m are respectively
the length and mass of a side
(uniform rod), and Irod is its
moment of inertia about a
perpendicular axis through
midpoint, to be derived in the
next section.
Armed with the above four
formulas, we are now ready to
head forward.
Slender rod
Consider a uniform rod
of length L and mass M = lL (l being the constant linear
mass density) rotating about an axis perpendicular to the rod
through its midpoint. Let I denote the moment of the inertia
of the rod about the named axis. From simple dimensional
arguments, we have
I = aML2, (5)
where a is a dimensionless constant to be determined. To
this end, picture the rod is made longer by attaching to either
end an (infinitesimal) element of mass dM/2 and length dL/2
(dark segments in Fig. 2), so that the total change in length
and mass are dL and dM, respectively. Treating these elements
as point particles and using Eq. (1), we find that the increase
in I is
(6)
On the other hand, differentiating Eq. (5) gives
Moment of Inertia by Differentiation
Joseph A. Rizcallah, School of Education, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
The calculation of the moment of inertia of an extended
body, as presented in standard introductory-level
textbooks,1-3 involves the evaluation of a definite in-
tegralan operation often not fully mastered by beginners,
let alone the conceptual difficulties it presents, even to the ad-
vanced student, in understanding and setting up the integral
in the first place. We here use dimensional analysis along with
elementary differentiation techniques to derive the moments
of inertia of various extended bodies. The suggested method
does not employ integrals and, in effect, is just a disguised ap-
plication of elementary ordinary differential equations.
The issue of calculating the moment of inertia without in-
tegration has been addressed by many authors in the past.4,5
However, as stated in Ref. 4, a geometry-based approach
seems to be of little help to the contemporary student, who is
often found lacking in geometric intuition. Moreover, some of
the alternative methods (see, e.g., Ref. 5), though they do not
employ explicit integration, still involve slicing (differentiat-
ing) and summing (integrating)the main culprits, in our
opinion, that make the integral approach so conceptually chal-
lenging to most students. In this paper we use differentials in-
stead of integrals, together with elementary dimensional and
symmetry arguments, to determine the moments of inertia of
some common uniform extended bodies, such as rods, disks,
and spheres.
Preliminaries
We begin with four basic results, all of which can be estab-
lished without integration. First, by definition, a point mass m
has a moment of inertia
I = mr2, (1)
where r is the distance to the axis of rotation. Second, the mo-
ment of inertia of a ring of mass M and radius R about an axis
through its center and perpendicular to its plane is given by
I = MR2 . (2)
This formula can be derived without integrals, directly from
the definition of I, by exploiting axial symmetry, i.e., the con-
stancy of r = R. Third, a uniform hollow sphere (shell) of mass
M and radius R has a rotational inertia I about an axis through
its center given by
I = 2/3 MR2 . (3)
An elegant non-calculus proof 6 of Eq. (3) uses Ix + Iy +Iz =
2MR2, which is valid for the moments of inertia of the shell
about any three mutually orthogonal axes through its center,
together with I = Ix = Iy = Iz, which follows from spherical
x
y
z
Frame
Fig. 1. Square frame rotat-
ing about perpendicular axis
through center.
Axis
dM/2
dM/2
Rod
Fig. 2. Rod rotating about perpendicular axis through
midpoint.
The Physics Teacher Vol. 53, NoVember 2015 483
(r being the constant volume mass density) about an axis
through its center has the same functional form as in Eq. (8).
When the sphere is grown by coating it with a spherical
shell of mass dM and radius R, the resulting change in I, ac-
cording to Eq. (3), reads
dI = 2/3 R2dM. (10)
Differentiating Eq. (8) and using the uniformity condition
RdM = 3MdR for the sphere, derived from M = r4pR3/3 and
its differential dM = 4rpR2 R, one finds
dI = aR2dM + 2aMRdR = 5/3 aR2dM,
which upon comparison with Eq. (10) yields a = 2/5. Here too,
the suggested method must be supplemented with the paral-
lel axis theorem in order to find the moment of inertia of the
sphere about an arbitrary axis.
Plane laminas
Our method can also be used to determine the moments
of inertia of some uniform regular plane laminas (of constant
surface mass density s). The following is an example. Con-
sider a square lamina of mass M and side a rotating about
an axis through its center and perpendicular to its plane. Di-
mensional analysis requires that the moment of inertia of the
lamina be sought in the form
I = aMa2, (11)
with a being a dimensionless constant. Suppose the lamina
is made larger by attaching to its sides four rods each of mass
dM/4 and length a (we may ignore second order corrections
due to missing corners). By Eq. (4) and the rods moment of
inertia, the resulting increase in the moment of inertia of the
lamina is
(12)
Differentiating Eq. (11) and noting the uniformity condition
adM = 2Mda (obtained from M = sa2 and its differential dM
= 2sada), we get
dI = aa2dM +2aMada = 2aa2dM.
Equating the last expression to Eq. (12), we find a = 1/6 .
We now use this result to determine the moment of inertia
I of a rectangular lamina of mass M and dimensions a3b
about a perpendicular axis through its center. Dimensional
arguments and symmetry dictate I = M(aa2 +bab +ab2),
where a and b are dimensionless constants (independent of a
and b). In the limit b 0 the lamina turns into a slender rod
and the above formula reduces to aMa2, which must now co-
incide with 1/12 Ma2, so a = 1/12. Moreover, in the special case
of a = b, the above result for a square lamina is recovered if
dI = aL2dM + 2aMLdL,
which can be cast into
dI = 3aL2 dM, (7)
using the uniformity (homogeneity) condition LdM = MdL,
which follows from M = lL and its differential dM = ldL.
Comparing Eqs. (6) and Eq. (7), one readily obtains a = 1/12.
For a rod rotating about a perpendicular axis through an end,
we need to add all the mass dM to the free end, at a distance
L from the axis. This amounts to a change in I given by dI =
L2dM, which upon comparison with Eq. (7) yields a = 1/3 .
In general, for an arbitrary perpendicular axis dividing the
rod in the proportion k: (1 k), the lengths and masses of the
added infinitesimal elements should have the same ratio, and
one can easily show that a = k2 k + 1/3 in this case.
Solid disk or cylinder
Consider now a solid disk (or
cylinder) of radius R and mass
M = spR2 (s being the constant
surface mass density) rotating
about an axis through its center
and perpendicular to its plane.
Simple dimensional and symme-
try arguments lead us to seek I in
the form
I = aMR2, (8)
where, as before, a is a dimensionless constant. Imagine the
disk is grown by stretching a thin ring of mass dM and ra-
dius R round its rim (dark ring in Fig. 3). By Eq. (2), the cor-
responding increase in I is
dl = R2dM. (9)
Differentiating Eq. (8) and using the uniformity condition
RdM = 2MdR, obtained by dividing M =spR2 into its differ-
ential dM = 2spRdR, we get
dI = aR2dM + 2aMRdR = 2aR2dM.
Together with Eq. (9) this results in a = 1/2 . It is worth men-
tioning that, unlike the case of a rod, the moment of inertia
of a disk about an arbitrary perpendicular axis off its center
cannot be found without the additional use of the parallel axis
theorem. This is because the latter is inevitable in deriving
the analog of Eq. (2), due to the lack of axial symmetry in this
case.
Solid sphere
By dimensional and symmetry arguments, the moment of
inertia I of a solid sphere of radius R and mass M = r4pR3/3
Disk
dM
Axis
Fig. 3. Disk rotating about
perpendicular axis through
center.
484 The Physics Teacher Vol. 53, NoVember 2015
6. John F. Streib, A theorem on moments of inertia, Am. J. Phys.
57, 181 (Feb. 1989).
Joseph A. Rizcallah has taught Advanced Placement Physics C & B,
A-level Physics, and other introductory-level physics courses. He is now
an assistant professor at the Lebanese University, teaching mathematics
to pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers. His research interest
is in the geometrization of electromagnetism in the framework of Weyl-
Cartan geometries, the application of the exceptional algebras to funda-
mental physics, and physics and mathematics education.
joeriz68@gmail.com
b = 0. Hence,
Alternatively, this result could be established using differen-
tiation with respect to both a and b. However, this would be
inappropriate for the present discussion, as multivariable cal-
culus is ordinarily taught after introductory physics.
Discussion
In the paper, we presented an alternate approach to the
calculation of the moment of inertia. Not only does our
method save the student the complication of setting up inte-
grals, but it also helps the student to better grasp the meaning
of differentiation and gives him/her an opportunity to hone
higher order thinking levels such as symmetry and dimen-
sional analysis.
Technically, the present approach should be accessible to
a good calculus student who is familiar with the elementary
rules of differentiation, including the Leibniz rule. The latter,
however, may be dispensed with should uniformity be taken
into account right at the very outset. For example, in deriving
the moment of inertia of a uniform rod, one could start with
I = alL3. Then, Eqs. (6) and (7) would become dI = 1/4 lL2dL
and dI = 3 alL2 dL, again yielding a = 1/12 . This entails very
few changes in the presented approach, and it is up to the
teacher to decide which way is best for his/her students.
While the present approach may be appealing to the
students, it must be stressed that integration techniques are
absolutely essential to any introductory physics course, in
particular Advanced Placement Physics C, where they are ap-
plied in mechanics as well as electrostatics. Nonetheless, an
introductory physics course should provide the student with
equal opportunities to see various abstract mathematical con-
cepts and methods at work in a new light. In this sense, the
advocated approach is not meant to replace integration, but
rather to complement it.
Acknowledgment
It is a pleasure to acknowledge the valuable suggestions of
three anonymous reviewers that helped improve the paper.
References
1. H. D. Young and R. A. Freedman, Sears and Zemanskys Uni-
versity Physics: With Modern Physics, 12th ed. (Addison-Wes-
ley, San Francisco, 2008), pp. 303305.
2. R. A. Serway and J. W. Jewett, Physics for Scientist and Engi-
neers, 6th ed. (Thomson Brooks/Cole, Belmont, 2004), pp.
302305.
3. D. C. Giancoli, Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Mod-
ern Physics, 4th ed. (Addison-Wesley, New York, 2008), pp.
263264.
4. Benjamin Oostra, Moment of inertia without integrals, Phys.
Teach . 44, 283285 (May 2006).
5. Seok-Cheol Hong and Seok-In Hong, Moments of inertia of
disks and spheres without integration, Phys. Teach. 51, 139
140 (March 2013).
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