Conceptual Fzx - Rotational Inertia and Torque

Front

What is rotational inertia?

Back

Rotational inertia, or moment of inertia, is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotation. It depends on the mass of the object and the distribution of that mass relative to the axis of rotation.

Front

What is torque?

Back

Torque is a measure of the rotational force applied to an object. It is calculated as the product of the force applied and the distance from the pivot point (lever arm) at which the force is applied.

Front

How does the distance from the fulcrum affect torque?

Back

The further the distance from the fulcrum (lever arm), the greater the torque produced by a given force. Torque increases with longer lever arms.

Front

What is the relationship between rotational inertia and torque?

Back

An object with greater rotational inertia requires more torque to achieve the same angular acceleration as an object with lower rotational inertia.

Front

What is the formula for torque?

Back

Torque (τ) = Force (F) × Lever Arm Distance (r) × sin(θ), where θ is the angle between the force vector and the lever arm.

Front

What happens to a figure skater's rotation when she pulls her arms in?

Back

When a figure skater pulls her arms in, her moment of inertia decreases, causing her rotational speed to increase due to the conservation of angular momentum.

Front

What is the principle of conservation of angular momentum?

Back

The principle states that if no external torque acts on a system, the total angular momentum of that system remains constant.

Front

What is a lever arm?

Back

A lever arm is the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to the line of action of the force applied.

Front

What is the effect of applying force at an acute angle on torque?

Back

Applying force at an acute angle reduces the effective torque produced, as only the component of the force perpendicular to the lever arm contributes to torque.

Front

How can you achieve maximum torque?

Back

Maximum torque is achieved by applying a larger force perpendicularly at a longer lever arm.