Question

If a child walks toward the center of a merry-go-round, does the moment of inertia increase or decrease?

a) Increase
b) Decrease
c) Stay the same
d) It depends on the mass of the child.

Answer 1

If a child walks toward the center of a merry-go-round, the moment of inertia decreases.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a child walks toward the center of a merry-go-round, the moment of inertia decreases.

Moment of inertia is a property of rotating objects that determines how difficult it is to change their rotation. When a child walks toward the center, the mass is concentrated closer to the axis of rotation, which reduces the moment of inertia.

For example, imagine a spinning figure skater. When the skater pulls their arms closer to their body, their moment of inertia decreases, causing an increase in their rotational speed.