Rolling Cylinder Lab PSI Physics AP 1 – Rotational Dynamics

All answers and data must follow the PSI Lab Report Format.

Objective

The moment of inertia of a sphere or a cylinder rotating about an axis perpendicular to a circular cross section (in other words that allow rolling) can be expressed as I=βmr 2.Determine and compare the moments of inertia of solid and hollow cylinder and a solid ball. Find the constant β in the moment of inertia for each. (Assume that energy is conserved).

Materials

● Slightly Inclined Plane● Solid Cylinder● Hollow Cylinder● Solid Ball● Meter stick● Stopwatch

A complete lab report must include:❏ The materials you used and how you used them❏ The design of your experiment❏ A derivation of the moment of inertia and β in terms of measured quantities❏ Data collected in tabular form ❏ Values of the observed moments of inertia and β ’ s❏ A comparison of your results for the various rolled objects❏ A conclusion:

❏ summarizing your results❏ analyzing any errors that may have affected your results when compared

with theoretical values❏ proposing improvements in the experiment and / or further experiments

you might like to perform on this subject

© njctl.org Physics Rotational