PIRA 1Q10.45 Moment of Inertia: Rotational Inertia of Large and Small Toilet Paper Rolls

• Demo has two rolls of toilet paper, one full roll and a second nearly empty roll.

• What happens when quickly off a single sheet with an equivalent force on each roll?

• Use a quick snapping motion remove a sheet. Which one releases the most paper?

• Demo Staff: The toilet paper on the two rolls needs to be tight. Use your judgement, if it is not working, replace the roll.

Photo shows the apparatus used by the University of Texas at Austin.