Solid vs. Hollow Wheels: Speed Explained

Solid wheels will always roll faster than hollow ones, and it’s not magic, it’s physics.

This is all because of a concept called moment of inertia, which is just a fancy term for how

hard it is to make something spin. Think about swinging a baseball bat. It's much easier

to whip it around holding it near the heavy end than holding it by the handle.

A solid disk has its mass packed closer to the center than a hollow hoop does.

This gives it a lower moment of inertia, meaning it’s easier to get spinning.

So, with the same push, the solid disk accelerates faster every single time.