Today as I stared into the computer contemplating on what I should write my physics blog about…I heard the garage door open as my mom pulled into the driveway. Oh my goodness! I thought, CARS ILLUSTRATE ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS! The wheels of a car rotate, exhibiting rotational dynamics qualities. In physics we learned that rotational inertia is equal to the mass times radius squared. Because my mom’s van has a huge mass, it has a very high rotational inertia which means that it is harder to start and stop rotating. I notice this a lot when I drive because my dad has a very small Rav4, as opposed to my mom’s Sienna. When I drive my dad’s car, I don’t have to step on the breaks as hard as I do in my mom’s because the rav 4 is lighter and therefore has less rotational inertia, and is easier to stop. Cars do not only have regular kinetic energy causing them to move, but rotational inertia as well! (Because the wheels are rotating AND moving forward)! Wooohoooo!
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