Vasudeva Rao Aravind; John W. Heard
Description:
Rotational dynamics is a common topic in any undergraduate introductory physics course. While it is easy for students majoring in physics to understand the vectorial nature of quantities such as torque and moment of inertia, these concepts can be challenging to non-majors. This article describes a simple experiment that students (especially nonmajors) can perform in a class to understand torque and rotational equilibrium.