A rectangular book has several axes of symmetry, consider the two axes that split it in half and are perpendicular to its sides.
Throw it into the air giving it a rotating motion about one of the axes; repeat with the other axis. Do you notice a difference? Can you explain
it?
2007-11-04 16:39:38 · 1 answers · asked by JOE 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
A rectangular book has three different moments of inertia about three "natural" principal axes. The motion about the axis associated with the intermediate moment of inertia is unstable. See these pages:
http://www.aoe.vt.edu/~cdhall/Space/archives/000098.html (look for "Why the Hammer rotates")
http://www.juggling.org/help/clubs/physics.html
http://www.mae.ncsu.edu/homepages/silverberg/tumble.doc (rather technical)
2007-11-04 17:27:12 · answer #1 · answered by Ron W 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋