Moment of inertia is a physical property of an object that describes its resistance to rotational motion. It is calculated by multiplying the mass of an object by the square of its distance from the axis of rotation.
Moment of inertia is a measure of how an object's mass is distributed around an axis of rotation, while mass is a measure of the amount of matter an object contains. In other words, moment of inertia takes into account the shape and distribution of mass in an object, while mass does not.
Moment of inertia is calculated by multiplying the mass of an object by the square of its distance from the axis of rotation. This is typically represented by the equation I = mr², where I is the moment of inertia, m is the mass of the object, and r is the distance from the axis of rotation.
Moment of inertia plays a crucial role in determining an object's rotational motion. The larger the moment of inertia, the more difficult it is to rotate an object. This is why objects with a greater distribution of mass have a larger moment of inertia and require more force to rotate.
The moment of inertia of an object can be changed by altering its mass distribution or by changing the axis of rotation. For example, spreading out the mass of an object will increase its moment of inertia, while bringing the mass closer to the axis of rotation will decrease it. Additionally, changing the shape of an object can also affect its moment of inertia.