HOW THINGS WORK (PHY 1)

Chapter 2
LAWS OF MOTION (Part 2)

Conservation of Angular
Momentum
Spinning in Circles
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
 ANGULAR MOMENTUM
 Spinning is another important feature of
bumper cars and it involves Angular
Momentum.
 Angular Momentum is a measure of an
object’s rotational motion.
Angular momentum =
Moment of inertia x Angular velocity,
L= I
It is a vector quantity and has the same
direction as the angular velocity.
Conservation of Angular Momentum
 Angular momentum is also conserved.
It can only be transferred between objects.
 For a car to begin spinning, something
must transfer angular momentum to it. It
will then continue spinning until it
transfers its angular momentum elsewhere.
 To study angular momentum we need a
pivot or axis about which the spinning
occurs.
 In the case of bumper cars, the pivot
will be the center of mass of the car.
 Newton’s laws of
linear (rotational) Motion
 The linear (angular) momentum is
conserved as a consequence of Newton’s
third law of linear (rotational) Motion.
 Conservation of p and L
Momentum, p = mv = constant
(According to law of conservation of
liner momentum)
Where m is constant, v can change
p=m×v
100 = 1 × 100
100 = 10 × 10
If the same linear momentum is
transferred to a lighter and heavier body,
the velocity change of the lighter body
will be more due to its small mass
 Conservation of p and L
Angular momentum, L = I  = Constant
(According to the law of conservation
of angular momentum)
Here both I and  can change
I = md2, I can change by changing d
L=I×
100 = 1 × 100
100 = 10 × 10
Therefore, the same body can rotate
with different angular velocity by
changing its rotational mass
 Angular Momentum
Dependence on I & 
 Two cars with the same angular
momentum will be spinning with
different angular velocity because of
their different moment of inertia.
 Larger the moment of inertia, smaller
will be the angular velocity.
 The same behaviour occurs with linear
momentum. A large mass results in a
small velocity.
Angular Momentum Conservation
and change of angular velocity 
Angular Momentum Conservation
and change of angular velocity 
 Mass and Moment of inertia
 Difference between mass and moment
of inertia is that the mass of a body
cannot change, whereas the moment of
inertia can change.
 When moment of inertia changes, the
angular velocity also has to change
accordingly to keep the angular
momentum constant.
 When a skater or a dancer has to spin
fast, she reduces her moment of inertia
by pulling in her arms.
 Conserved Quantities and Transfer
Mechanism
Conserved Transfer
Quantity Mechanism
When bumper cars
collide frequently, Energy Work
they exchange Linear Impulse
energy, linear Momentum
momentum and
Angular Angular
angular momentum. Momentum Impulse
Transfer Mechanism of Conserved Quantities
When a football is kicked by a force, there is
displacement for the football and hence work is done
on it as W = FS. This work transfers energy to the
football as kinetic energy of motion.
From Newton’s second law, F = p/t
Change in linear momentum (or linear momentum
transferred), p = F. t, linear impulse.
Thus linear impulse transfers linear momentum.
Newton’s second law of rotational motion,  = L/t
Change in angular momentum, L = . t, angular
impulse. Thus Angular impulse transfers
angular momentum
Universal Behaviour
 Universal Behaviour
 An object always proceed in the
direction of the net force on it. This is
also the direction which will reduce its
potential energy to the minimum.
 This behaviour is universal, an object
always proceeds in the direction that
reduces the total potential energy to
the minimum.
 Bumper cars too tend to roll into a low
point on the floor shortly before the
ride stops.
 Source
Textbook:
How Things Work:
The Physics of Everyday Life, 5th Edition
by Louis A. Bloomfield (Author)
ISBN-13: 978-1118580264
ISBN-10: 1118580265

Reference:
How Everything Works: Making Physics Out of the Ordinary
Louis A. Bloomfield
ISBN-13: 978-0470170663, ISBN-10: 0470170662