Exam-style question
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What effect does mass distribution have on the moment of inertia of an object?.
- A.It has no effect
- B.It increases the moment of inertia
- C.It decreases the moment of inertia
- D.It only affects linear motion
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- It increases the moment of inertia
Explanation
Why this works
The distribution of mass affects the moment of inertia; the further the mass is from the axis of rotation, the greater the moment of inertia. This means that objects with mass distributed farther from the axis will resist changes to their rotational motion more than those with mass concentrated closer to the axis.
Common mistake
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