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Two wheels of equal mass differ in rotational inertia because they differ in:
AHow old they are
BWhere the mass sits
CHow much mass there is
DWhat colour they are
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Where the mass sits
1. Equal mass does not mean equal resistance to spinning.
2. The rotational inertia of an object depends upon a distribution.
3. It depends upon the distribution of mass within the object or system.
4. Equal total mass can still be arranged differently.
5. So the difference lies in where the mass sits.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics for AP Courses 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 10 'Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum', sections 10.1-10.7_
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