An industrial flywheel has a greater rotational inertia when most of its mass is
A)nearer the rim.
B)nearer the axis.
C)uniformly spread out as in a disk.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The rotational inertia of a flywheel depends on both the mass of the flywheel and the distribution of that mass. The mass that is located further from the rotational axis has a greater contribution to the rotational inertia. Therefore, a flywheel with most of its mass located near the rim (i.e., choice A) will have a greater rotational inertia compared to a flywheel with most of its mass located near the axis (i.e., choice B) or uniformly spread out as in a disk (i.e., choice C).

An Industrial Flywheel Has a Greater Rotational Inertia When Most