Mechanics > Rotational Dynamics > Rotational Inertia DCS# 1Q60.xx

TENSOR OF INERTIA FOR CUBE AND PARALLELOPIPED



APPARATUS
plexiglas cube 202-15-D
plexiglas rectangular parallelopipeds 202-15-D
rods 202-15-D

DESCRIPTION
Hold the ends of the rod to detect the presence or absence of wobble when spinning the cube and parallelopiped about it.  Every axis through the center of mass of a uniform cube is a principal axis of inertia, but not so for a noncubic rectangular parallelopiped.  The pencil in the plexiglas block does not pass through its center of mass.