Angular Momentum and Moments for Particles
The concept of angular momentum, and the moment (torque) needed to create such a momentum is the topic of this page. This is an important stepping stone toward thinking about bodies that rotate.
Table of Links
- Review of Moments
- Angular Momentum (Theory)
- Concept Questions, Part A
- Concept Questions, Part B
- Concept Questions, Part C
- Analysis of a Myth Busters Problem
Review of Moments
Before we can discuss angular momentum in a meaningful way it is important to remember what a moment is. Here’s a review in case you’re a little rusty.
Angular Momentum (Theory)
In this video, I define angular momentum and present the relevant theory for using the concept to solve dynamics problems.
Concept Questions, Part A
Watch the accompanying video, showing a simulation of a simple pendulum, and then answer the following conceptual questions about angular momentum.
You don’t have to watch the whole video. It just repeats over and over… like a pendulum.
Concept Questions, Part B
In the video below, I demonstrate what happens when I inflate a buoyant bubble on the end of the pendulum. Then, I’d like you to answer several questions about angular momentum in this context.
Concept Questions, Part C
Coming Soon.
Analysis of a Myth Busters Problem
You may be familiar with the television show, Myth Busters. In this video, I show part of a Myth Busters episode in which I was rather dissatisfied with their explanation of a “myth” that they claimed that they had busted. In this (somewhat long, 25-minute) video, we take a closer look at some of the dynamics in the problem. The analysis uses several principles covered in our class: angular impulse – momentum, linear impulse – momentum, and path coordinates.