Rigid Body Motion
The previous chapter worked with fixed axis rotation, which is when an object is rotating about an axis but the axis itself doesn’t rotate. But what if we want to analyze a bicycles wheel as it’s turning? Or a spinning top that become less stable as it slows down? There are many systems in the world that have a rotating axis of rotation.
Fixed Axis Rotation Rotating Axis Rotation (?)
The case of a rotating rotation axis is what we will be exploring in this chapter. Along the way, we’ll get to see the physics of gyroscopes, come up with a more general definition for rotational inertia, and learn why the Earth’s axis wobbles in the first place!