Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-course-of-the-year-1-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2016/paper-1/section-b/b7/solution
Past exam of the physics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge 2016 Paper 1 Section B B7 Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-20
The moment of inertia about a specified axis is , where is perpendicular distance from the axis. The parallel axis theorem states for two parallel axes separated by , one passing through the centre of mass of a body of mass .
It is easiest to calculate the eccentric disc by subtraction. Let be the mass of the unperforated disc and the removed mass. Uniform thickness and density give and , hence and . The hole is tangent to the rim, so its centre, and therefore the shaft axis, lies from the original disc centre. About the shaft axis,The shaft contributes . ThusThe motor's torque is at nonzero angular velocity, while the resisting torque is . The rotational equation of motion and its equivalent energy balance areAt the steady state, input power equals dissipated power, givingFor the acceleration, use . Then with , soThe approach to takes infinite time. This constant-power rotational acceleration idealizes the start: diverges at rest, although the energy balance has a well-defined limiting solution. A real motor has finite starting torque.
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