Question

Occasionally, a rotating neutron star undergoes a sudden and unexpected speedup called a glitch. One explanation is that a glitch occurs when the crust of the neutron star settles slightly, decreasing the moment of inertia about the rotation axis. A neutron star with angular speed v = 70.4 rad/s underwent such a glitch in October 1975 that increased its angular speed to w = w₀ + ?w, where ?w/w₀ = 2.01 x 10^-6 . What is the moment of inertia of the neutron star about its axis of rotation if it has mass of 2.8 x 10³⁰ kg?

a) More than the numerical value for its mass

b) Less than the numerical value for its mass

c) Same as the numerical value for its mass

d) None of the above

Answer 1