Unit 4 Resource Post (Rotation)

I found this image really helpful because it explains what happens when an ice skater's arms and legs are extended and when they are tucked. In the image on the left, the skater's limbs are extended therefore creating a large rotational inertia because it is harder to spin. It is harder to spin because her mass is farther from the axis of rotation.
In the image on the right, the skater's arms and legs are tucked creating a lower rotational inertia due to her mass being centrally located near her axis of rotation. Therefore, her rotational velocity is large and she spins much faster.



In this yoga pose, the woman has a low center of gravity and a large base so that she won't fall over. Because of her wide base of support, she is able to maintain her center of gravity and stay balanced.