A triatomic molecule is oriented as follows along the x-axis: atom 1 of mass m is at the origin,atom 2 of mass 2m is at x = a,and,atom 3 of mass 3m is at x = 2a.What is the moment of inertia of this molecule about the y-axis? A)2ma² B)3ma² C)12ma² D)14ma²

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The moment of inertia about the y-axis is calculated by summing the products of each mass and the square of its distance from the y-axis: I = m(0)^2 + 2m(a)^2 + 3m(2a)^2 = 0 + 2ma^2 + 12ma^2 = 14ma^2.

A Triatomic Molecule Is Oriented as Follows Along the X-Axis