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THERMAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

Thermal Expansion

Thermal Conductivity

Moment of Inertia of a Solid Disk

The moment of inertia of a large aluminum disk is determined experimentally by applying a constant torque and measuring the angular acceleration. The disk is mounted on a low friction bearing; the torque is provided by attaching a long piece of fishing line to the rim of the disk, wrapping several turns of the fishing line around the rim and hanging a small mass from the free end of the fishing line. The acceleration can be determined in various ways by means of photogate timers, as the mass falls under the influence of gravity. This dynamic determination of the momentum of inertia can be compared to the calculated value from the mass and radius of the disk.

Moment of Inertia of a Solid Disk