About a specified axis, the moment of inertia is , giving rotational kinetic energy for fixed-axis rotation. With square coordinates centred on the plate,
The in-plane inertia isotropy of a square plate follows using the perpendicular axis theorem, which gives . For any in-plane central axis at angle , the perpendicular in-plane axis has the same inertia by the square's rotational symmetry. Their sum is , so every such in-plane axis has .
The parallel axis theorem gives hinge inertia . During the short impulse gravity is negligible, and the hinge impulse has no moment about the hinge. Therefore
The hinge impulse of an edge-pivoted square plate follows from linear momentum: . Taking its positive direction to be that of the applied impulse,
Generally alone does not supply the centre-of-mass momentum compatible with rotation about the fixed hinge, so the hinge supplies the difference. Its impulse vanishes at the centre of percussion,