Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: Moment of Inertia or Rotational Inertia



Ken's response to Bob and the list is below...


Reply to message from Raacc@AOL.COM of Thu, 17 Jun

I've been writing up some documentation for rotational motion and have always
referred to mr^2 as rotational inertia. When looking through Tipler, Serway,
Simon, Hibbeler, and Beer & Johnston, mr^2 is referred to as moment of
inertia. I've taught from these texts and not given it a second thought
until now. Wondering where I got the term rotational inertia, I went back to
my first physics text, Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday & Resnick. Sure
enough, there it was, rotational inertia. I then looked at the fourth
edition of Physics by Resnick, Halliday & Krane copyright 1992 and there it
was again, rotational inertia. Does anyone know why there is this split in
terminology? Is one more dated than another?

Thanks,

Bob Carlson



Bob,

Just my 2 cents worth here. I've always viewed the term "moment of
intertia" as the older of the two, and "rotational inertia" as my preferred
language. That's about the ONLY similarity between my modest physics
background and that of Halliday / Resnick/ Walker, etc.

I like to teach rotational dynamics alongside linear dynamics
(along with examples of each). Regardless of the wording, the "sense" of
inertia is the important thing.

Best regards,

Ken Kane, Gilmour Academy




--
Kenneth A. Kane HAM CALL SIGN: KG8DN ^[ /^ Novelty and
9619 Pekin Road Gilmour Academy Physics [/ [^^ [\ ] Gates Mills
Novelty, OH 44072-9734 34001 Cedar Road [\ [- [ \] now in area
(440) 338-8078 Gates Mills, OH 44040-9732 _[ \_ [__ [ ] code 440.