A Didactic Approach to Study Mass—Inertial Characteristics of Bodies in Plane Motion

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education employs a hands-on learning approach that integrates various subjects to foster a thorough grasp of concepts and their real-world applications. In the present paper, an experimental set up to study mass-inertial characteristics of different shape cylindrical bodies in plane motion is presented. The aim of the experimental set up is to show students visually the influence of mass distribution of circle shape bodies with different cross sections on their planar motion. Moreover, the meaning of each term of differential equations of motions as well as their initial conditions are explained and shown. We have designed and developed an experimental set up utilizing a 3D printer and plastic materials, as well as time measure sensors and display in order to give some examples. Also, we have designed and printed 2 cylinders with different cross sections with different diameters with the same mass. Moment of inertia of these two bodies are calculated. We plug into the differential equations the calculated mass—characteristics of these three bodies. Also, we discussed the behavior of the system with different initial conditions. The obtained result shows If two cylinders with equal mass but different diameters and shapes of its cross sections are move in the same plane the cylinder with small diameter moves faster.