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Squashing Method for Moment of Inertia Calculations

Article  in  The Physics Teacher · November 2019

DOI: 10.1119/1.5131123

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Squashing Method for Moment of
Inertia Calculations
Jinhui Wang, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Bernard Ricardo, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, Singapore

M
oments of inertia (MOIs) are usually derived via
substantial integration and may intimidate under- z
graduates without prior backgrounds in calculus.  ρ (x,y, z)dz
This paper presents an intuitive geometric operation, termed
“squashing,” that transforms an object into an equivalent one
with a reduced dimension, whose MOI is simpler to deter- x y
mine. The combination of squashing and other methods (e.g.,
scaling arguments, the perpendicular-axis and parallel-axis
theorems) enables the computation of complex MOIs with
minimal integration.
σ (x,y)

Introduction
The following common MOIs will be subsequently em- Fig. 1. Squashing three-dimensional object with volume mass
density (x, y, z), along z-direction, into two-dimensional object
ployed. Remarkably, they can all be derived without integra-
with surface mass density (x, y) = (x, y, z)dz.
tion. The MOI of a uniform disk1-3 with mass M and radius R
about a perpendicular axis through its center of mass is into one-dimensional objects with linear mass densities.
(1)
Uniform cylinder about cylindrical axis
Actually, a proof will be provided later but Eq. (1) shall be Since a uniform cylinder can be flattened along its
assumed, for now, to aid in the paper’s development. Accord- cylindrical axis into a uniform disk, I of a uniform cylinder—
ingly, the MOI of the same disk about a diameter can be deter- with mass M, radius R, and length L—about its cylindrical ax-
mined via the perpendicular-axis theorem4 and symmetry as is is equal to the MOI of a uniform disk with mass M and radi-
(2) us R about a perpendicular axis through its center of mass. By
Eq. (1),
Lastly, two other ubiquitous MOIs are those of a uniform rod
with mass M and length L and equilateral triangle with mass
M and edge length L, about perpendicular axes through their
centers of mass. Their expressions are identically Uniform rotationally symmetric pyramid about
(3) altitude
Consider a uniform hollow pyramid with total mass M that
by scaling arguments.5-7 Now, we introduce the idea of is rotationally symmetric about an altitude defined
squashing, which can be seen as the reverse operation of the as the z-axis. To compute its MOI Izhollow, we can squash it
stretch rule.8 To determine Iz of a three-dimensional object along the z-direction to obtain a uniform surface mass distri-
with mass density (x, y, z), notice that the relevant integra- bution shaped like its base. Thus, Izhollow is simply the MOI of
tion can be performed over the z-direction first. the pyramid’s base—if it were uniform with an identical mass
M—about a perpendicular axis through its center of mass.
(4) Applying this result to a uniform hollow cone with mass M
and base radius R,
,
(6)
where
(5) by Eq. (1), since its base is a disk. As another example, Izhollow
of a uniform and hollow regular tetrahedron with mass M and
Effectively, the body is compressed along the z-direction such edge length L is
that all points with the same (x, y) coordinates collapse into a
single point (x, y) in the xy-plane, with surface mass density (7)
(x, y)—a process illustrated by Fig. 1. The desired Iz is equal
to that of this new two-dimensional object, which possesses by Eq. (3), as its base is an equilateral triangle. Finally, our
the same total mass [as e e (x, y)dxdy = e e e (x, y, z) analysis can be extended to determine Izsolid of a uniform
dzdxdy]. Similarly, two-dimensional objects can be reduced solid pyramid with mass M, through trivial integration (by

THE PHYSICS TEACHER ◆ Vol. 57, 2019 155

deeming a solid pyramid as the composition of hollow shells)
or the differentiation procedure of Rizcallah.1 Either meth-
od leads to the conclusion that the coefficient of Izsolid is 3/5
times that of Izhollow .

Squashing with perpendicular-axis thero-

em
Fig. 3. Squashing plate along y-direction into non-uniform rod.
In light of its mere applicability to flat objects, the perpen-
dicular-axis theorem can be used in tandem with squashing relative to the y- and z-axes respectively, observe that Iy = Iy 
as a potent strategy. by our squashing argument. Furthermore, the symmetry of
the rod implies
Uniform cuboid about perpendicular axis through
center of mass I y = I z . (10)
Consider a uniform cuboid with mass M and edge lengths Since the rod is equivalent to a uniform disk—of mass M and
a, b, and c parallel to the x-, y- and z-axes, respectively. The radius R in the xz-plane—squashed along the z-direction,
origin is located at its center of mass. To determine Iz of this Iz is equal to the MOI of the uniform disk about a diameter.
cuboid, firstly squash the cuboid along the z-direction to Applying Eq. (2),
obtain a uniform rectangle with edge lengths a and b in the
xy-plane. The perpendicular-axis theorem implies Iz = Ix +
. (11)
Iy, where Ix and Iy are the MOIs of the rectangle relative to the
x- and y-axes. To compute Ix, squash the uniform rectangle Recalling that while ,
along the x-direction to obtain a uniform rod of length b, for
which Ix will be computed about a perpendicular axis cross-
ing its center. Equation (3) then yields . (12)
Similarly, Hence,
Constructing analogies with squashing
(8) If two bodies with identical masses produce the same flat-
tened object after squashing, their MOIs must be equal. Con-
versely, this idea can be exploited to find simpler, equivalent
Uniform cylinder about transverse axis through setups.
center of mass
Next, we wish to determine Iz of a uniform solid cylin- Uniform ellipse about major and minor axes
der with mass M, radius R, and length L about the z-axis, Consider a uniform ellipse—with mass M, semi-major
through its center of mass O, that is perpendicular to its axis a, and semi-minor axis b—and orient the x- and y-axes
cylindrical axis. along its major and minor axes, respectively. To compute
Ixellipse, observe that the ellipse is essentially a uniform
disk, with radius b and the same mass M, stretched uni-
formly by a factor of a/b in the x-direction. Therefore,
squashing the ellipse and the mentioned disk along the
x-direction yields the same resultant rod—implying that

Fig. 2. Squashing cylinder along z-direction into non-uniform

plate. Similarly,
Referring to Fig. 2, firstly squash the cylinder along
y
the z-axis to obtain a non-uniform plate in the xy-plane.
Applying the perpendicular-axis theorem, Iz = Ix + Iy The perpendicular-axis theorem then implies
where Ix and Iy of the plate can be computed by squashing the (13)
plate along the corresponding directions again. For the x-di-
rection, the squashed plate becomes a uniform rod of mass M about a perpendicular axis through the ellipse’s center of
and length L, for which Ix is computed about a perpendicular mass.
axis through its center. Hence,
Uniform triangle about axis through vertex and
(9)
parallel to opposite edge
by Eq. (3). The MOI of the resultant non-uniform rod after Referring to the left of Fig. 4, consider an arbitrary, uni-
squashing in the y-direction (middle in Fig. 3) is less obvious. form triangle with mass M and a z-axis that passes through a
Letting Iyand Izrefer to the MOIs of the squashed rod vertex O, parallel to the edge opposite O. The altitude from O

156 THE PHYSICS TEACHER ◆ Vol. 57, 2019

is h and we are interested in Iz of the triangle.
Squashing the triangle along the z-direction yields a rod
of mass M whose linear mass density is directly proportional
to the distance from the z-axis (by similar triangles). Observe
that the same rod will be generated after squashing, regard-
less of the shape of the starting triangle (because the rod’s
total mass and linear mass variation are fixed)! Thus, all tri-
angles with mass M and altitude h have the same Iz. In partic-
ular, we can determine Iz of the right-angled isosceles triangle Fig. 5. Squashing hollow cone along z-direction into
non-uniform isosceles triangle.
z z 2h Uniform hollow cone about parallel axis through
3
h CM h apex
Next, we wish to determine Iz of a uniform hollow cone
3 with a massless base, about the z-axis shown in Fig. 5. Its
O O y mass, height, and base radius are M, h, and R, respectively.
h Squashing the cone along the z-direction yields a non-
h uniform isosceles triangle in the xy-plane. Applying the per-
Fig. 4. Triangles with identical Iz, as they have the same altitude pendicular-axis theorem, Iz = Ix + Iy, where Ix and I y are
h and mass M, and produce the same linearly varying rod after the MOIs of this triangle about the x- and y-axes, respectively.
squashing along the z-direction. Let us consider I x first. Squashing the triangle along the
x-direction produces a non-uniform rod whose MOI is trou-
depicted on the right of Fig. 4. blesome to determine. However, notice that we can reverse
To this end, apply the parallel-axis theorem4 to this equiv- the order of squashing to obtain the same rod. Compressing
alent triangle. the original cone along the x-direction yields a uniform disk,
which is subsequently squashed along the z-direction. Be-
(14) cause the resultant rod lies entirely along the y-axis, its MOIs
about the x- and z-axes are identical. The former is I x while
where IzCM is its MOI about an axis, parallel to the z-direc- the latter can be easily deduced from the alternate order of
tion, crossing its center of mass. Similarly, squashing as (MOI of a uniform disk about a diame-
ter). Thus,
(15)

Due to symmetry, IzCM = IyCM such that To compute I y, squash the triangle along the y-direction to
(16) obtain another rod of length h. Revisiting the original cone,
realize that the squashing operations in the y- and z-direc-
Next, Ix of the new triangle (the x-axis points out of the tions have effectively compressed the circular cross section
page) can be determined by conjoining the vertices O of the cone at each x-coordinate into a corresponding point
of eight such triangles to form a uniform square of total on the x-axis. As the circumference and thus mass of a cross
mass 8M and edge length 2h about center of mass O. section scales linearly with its height from the apex O, the
Using the previously derived MOI of a rectangle (in the sec- linear mass density of the final rod is directly proportional
tion “Uniform cuboid about perpendicular axis through cen- to distance from the y-axis. Luckily, the MOI of such a rod
ter of mass”), the MOI of this square about a perpendicular was exactly computed in the previous section, from which
axis through its center of mass is 1/12 . 8M [(2h)2 + (2h)2] = Piecing the above information together,
16/3 Mh2. Because this square comprises eight triangles,

(19)

for one triangle. Finally, the perpendicular-axis theorem, Ix =

Iy + Iz, yields Uniform disk about perpendicular axis through
center of mass
(17) Finally, we derive Eq. (1) for a uniform disk, with
mass M and radius R, by squashing circularly as opposed to
linearly hitherto. Observe from the definition of the MOI

= (18) that a particle’s contribution is only dependent on its per-

THE PHYSICS TEACHER ◆ Vol. 57, 2019 157

pendicular distance to the relevant axis and independent of its
azimuthal coordinate. Therefore, we can rotate all particles with
identical perpendicular distances about the axis, until they reach
a single azimuthal position, without altering the MOI. Applying
this process to the uniform disk about the perpendicular z-axis
through its center of mass, we can sweep all radial lines on the
disk into a single radial line—akin to closing a Chinese hand
fan—to obtain a rod with the same total mass and a linear mass
density that scales linearly with disce from the original center of
mass. The latter property stems from the linear relationship be-
tween the perimeter and radius of a circle (as particles along the
perimeter of each circle concentric with the disk are combined).
Applying our previous result in the section “Uniform triangle
about axis through vertex and parallel to opposite edge” for a
linearly varying rod, Iz of the disk is

(20)

Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewer who gra-
ciously suggested the idea of circular squashing.

References
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2007).
3. Seok-Cheol Hong and Seok-In Hong, “Moments of inertia of disks
and spheres without integration,” Phys. Teach. 51, 139–140 (March
2013).
4. David Morin, Introduction to Classical Mechanics: With Problems
and Solutions, 1st ed. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
2008), pp. 314–316.
5. Bernard Ricardo, “Using scaling to compute moments of inertia of
symmetric objects,” Eur. J. Phys. 36 (5), 055003 (June 2015).
6. Robert Rabino, “Moments of inertia by scaling arguments: How to
avoid messy integrals,” Am. J. Phys. 53, 501–502 (May
1985).
7. Benjamin Oostra, “Moment of inertia without integrals,” Phys.
Teach. 44, 283–285 (May 2006).
8. J. Littlewood and J. Hebborn, Mechanics 5, 1st ed. (Heinemann,
Oxford, 2001), pp. 56–57.

Jinhui Wang is currently an undergraduate student at Stanford University.

wangjinhui3112@gmail.com

Ricardo Bernard is a consultant at NUS High School of Mathematics and

Science, Singapore.

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