Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/paper-1/section-c/c10/a/solution
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 1 Section C C10 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
For three distinct positive principal moments of inertia, the denominator of is positive. If is the largest moment, the two numerator factors have opposite signs, so . If it is the smallest, they again have opposite signs. If is intermediate, the two factors have the same sign, so . Thus the intermediate axis theorem givesFor the stable cases the body-frame wobble frequency isThe perturbation does not decay in the torque-free conservative model. For the intermediate moment, a generic small impulse excites the growing branch and eventually leaves the linear regime.
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