[Physics] Moment of Inertia of half of a cylinder

homework-and-exercisesmoment of inertiarotational-dynamics

Let's say I have a solid cylinder of uniform mass density, radius $R$ and height $h$. I know that the moment of inertia of this cylinder rotating about the axis parallel to the height and passing through the center of mass is $\frac{MR^2}{2}$. How would the Moment of Inertia (about the same axis) change if I were to cut this cylinder in half? (The cut goes along the length of the cylinder)

Best Answer

If you do the calculations, you get that the Moment of inertia of a cilinder it's

$$ I=\rho\int_{z_1}^{z_2}\int_0^{2\pi}\int_0^R r^3drd\theta dz $$ With

$$ \rho=\frac{M}{V}=\frac{M}{h\pi R^2} $$

Half of the cilinder means that $\theta$ goes from $0$ to $\pi$. Also you conserve the density.

Since there is no angular dependence, it's just the half of the Moment of inertia of the initial cilinder.