General Physics 1: Mechanics

Lecture 10: Angular momentum

Dr. Hao Van Bui

Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering
Email: [email protected]
What to Learn?

▪ The torque vector

▪ Analysis model: Angular momentum of a nonisolated
system
▪ Angular momentum of a rotating rigid object
▪ Analysis model: Angular momentum of an isolated
system
▪ The Motion of gyroscopes
Reference
[1] Pages 285 – 309;
1

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The torque vector
▪ Consider a force 𝐹Ԧ acting on a particle located at point P and
described by the vector position 𝑟.
Ԧ
Ԧ
▪ The torque vector 𝜏Ԧ is the vector product of 𝑟Ԧ and 𝐹:

𝜏Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ × 𝐹Ԧ
▪ Magnitude of the torque vector: 𝜏 = 𝑟𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛∅ = 𝐹𝑑

▪ Direction of the torque vector:

Ԧ 𝐹Ԧ : 𝜏Ԧ is perpendicular to the plane formed by 𝑟Ԧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹Ԧ
✓𝜏Ԧ ⊥ 𝑟,

✓ The direction of 𝜏Ԧ is determined by the right-hand rule: The

four fingers of the right hand are pointed along 𝑟Ԧ and then
“wrapped” in the direction that would rotate 𝑟Ԧ into 𝐹Ԧ through the
angle ∅, The direction of the upright thumb is the direction of 𝜏.Ԧ
Ԧ = −(𝐹Ԧ × 𝑟)
▪ Note that: (𝑟Ԧ × 𝐹) Ԧ
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Angular momentum of a nonisolated system
▪ Consider a particle of mass m located at the vector
position 𝑟Ԧ and moving with linear momentum 𝑝.Ԧ
▪ For a nonisolated system, the relation between the net
force σ 𝐹Ԧ and the linear momentum 𝑝:Ԧ
𝑑𝑝Ԧ
෍𝐹 =Ԧ
𝑑𝑡
𝑑 𝑝Ԧ
Ԧ
▪ Therefore: 𝑟Ԧ × σ 𝐹 = σ 𝜏Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ ×
𝑑𝑡

▪ Consider the derivative of the product:

𝑑 𝑑𝑟Ԧ 𝑑𝑝Ԧ 𝑑𝑝Ԧ
𝑟Ԧ × 𝑝Ԧ = × 𝑝Ԧ + 𝑟Ԧ × = 𝑟Ԧ ×
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑟Ԧ 𝑑𝑟Ԧ
𝑎𝑠 = 𝑣Ԧ ∥ 𝑝Ԧ → × 𝑝Ԧ = 0
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
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Angular momentum of a nonisolated system
𝑑𝑝Ԧ
෍ 𝜏Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ ×
𝑑𝑡 Ԧ 𝑝Ԧ
𝑑 𝑟×
→ σ 𝜏Ԧ =
𝑑 𝑟Ԧ × 𝑝Ԧ 𝑑𝑝Ԧ 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑟Ԧ ×
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑 𝑝Ԧ
This equation is similar to: → σ 𝐹Ԧ = 𝑑𝑡

▪ We define: L = 𝑟Ԧ × 𝑝Ԧ: Angular momentum vector.

→ The angular momentum L of a particle relative to an

axis through a chosen origin O is defined by the vector
product of the particle’s position vector 𝑟Ԧ relative to that
origin and its linear momentum p.
𝑑𝐿
→ σ 𝜏Ԧ =
𝑑𝑡

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Angular momentum of a nonisolated system

▪ Angular momentum vector: L = 𝑟Ԧ × 𝑝Ԧ

▪ Magnitude of angular momentum: L = 𝑟𝑝𝑠𝑖𝑛∅ = 𝑚𝑣𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑛∅

▪ Direction:
✓𝐿 ⊥ 𝑟,
Ԧ 𝑝Ԧ : 𝐿 is perpendicular to the plane formed by 𝑟Ԧ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝Ԧ

✓ The direction of 𝐿 is determined by the right-hand rule:

The four fingers of the right hand are pointed along 𝑟Ԧ and
then “wrapped” in the direction that would rotate 𝑟Ԧ into 𝑝Ԧ
through the angle ∅, The direction of the upright thumb is
the direction of 𝐿.

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Example: Angular momentum of a particle
in uniform circular motion

A particle moves at constant speed in the 𝑥𝑦 plane in a

circular path of radius 𝑟. Find the magnitude and direction
of its angular momentum relative to an axis through 𝑂
when its velocity is 𝑣.
Ԧ

▪ Magnitude of the angular momentum: 𝐿 = 𝑚𝑣𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑛90° = 𝑚𝑣𝑟

▪ Direction of the angular momentum vector: apply the right-

hand rule, the direction of 𝐿 points out of the screen (in z
direction).

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Angular momentum of a system of particles
𝑑 𝑝Ԧ𝑡𝑜𝑡
▪ For a system of particles, we can apply the equation: ෍ 𝐹Ԧ𝑒𝑥𝑡 =
𝑑𝑡
→ the net external force on a system of particles is equal to the time rate of change of the
total linear momentum of the system.

▪ The total angular momentum of a system of particles about some axis is defined as the
vector sum of the angular momenta of the individual particles:

𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 𝐿1 + 𝐿2 + ⋯ + 𝐿𝑛 = ෍ 𝐿𝑖
𝑖
▪ Differentiating this equation with respect to time:

𝑑𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝐿𝑖
=෍ = ෍ 𝜏Ԧ𝑖
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑖 𝑖
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Angular momentum of a system of particles
▪ The torques acting on the individual particles of the system are those associated with
internal forces between particles and those associated with external forces:

෍ 𝜏Ԧ = ෍ 𝜏Ԧ𝑖𝑛𝑡 + ෍ 𝜏Ԧ𝑒𝑥𝑡

▪ The net torque associated with all internal forces is zero: ෍ 𝜏Ԧ𝑖𝑛𝑡 = 0 (Newton’s 3rd law)

𝑑𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡
▪ Therefore: ෍ 𝜏Ԧ𝑒𝑥𝑡 = → angular momentum of the nonisolated system.
𝑑𝑡

→ If a system is nonisolated, the net external torque on the system is equal to the time
rate of change of the angular momentum of the system.

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Example: A system of objects

A sphere of mass 𝑚1 and a block of mass 𝑚2 are

connected by a light cord that passes over a
pulley. The radius of the pulley is 𝑅, and the mass
of the thin rim is 𝑀. The spokes of the pulley have
negligible mass. The block slides on a frictionless,
horizontal surface.
Find an expression for the linear acceleration of
the two objects, using the concepts of angular
momentum and torque.

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Example: A system of objects
▪ Angular momentum of the sphere about the pulley axle: 𝑚1 𝑣𝑅
▪ Angular momentum of the block about the pulley axle: 𝑚2 𝑣𝑅
▪ Angular momentum of the pulley: 𝑀𝑣𝑅
→ The total angular momentum about the pulley axle:
𝐿 = 𝑚1 𝑣𝑅 + 𝑚2 𝑣𝑅 + 𝑀𝑣𝑅 = (𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑀)𝑣𝑅
▪ External net force acting on the system: σ 𝐹Ԧ𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝑚1 𝑔Ԧ
▪ The total external torque about the pulley axle: σ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝑚1 𝑔𝑅

▪ Angular momentum of the nonisolated system:

𝑑𝐿 𝑑
෍ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡 = ↔ 𝑚1 𝑔𝑅 = (𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑀)𝑣𝑅
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑣 𝑚1 𝑔
𝑚1 𝑔𝑅 = 𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑀 𝑅 →𝑎=
𝑑𝑡 𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑀
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Angular momentum of a rotating rigid object
▪ Consider a rigid object rotating about a fixed axis that coincides
with the 𝑧 axis of a coordinate system.

→ each particle of the object rotates in the 𝑥𝑦 plane about the 𝑧

axis with an angular speed 𝜔.

▪ The magnitude of the angular momentum of a particle of mass

𝑚𝑖 about the 𝑧 axis is 𝐿𝑖 = 𝑚𝑖 𝑣𝑖 𝑟𝑖 ;
𝑣𝑖 = 𝑟𝑖 𝜔 → 𝐿𝑖 = 𝑚𝑖 𝑣𝑖 𝑟𝑖 = 𝑚𝑖 𝑟𝑖 𝜔 𝑟𝑖 = 𝑚𝑖 𝑟𝑖2 𝜔

▪ The vector 𝐿𝑖 for this particle is directed along the 𝑧 axis, as is

the vector 𝜔.

▪ The angular momentum along the 𝑧 axis of the whole object:

𝐿𝑧 = σ 𝐿𝑖 = σ𝑖 𝑚𝑖 𝑟𝑖2 𝜔 = σ𝑖 𝑚𝑖 𝑟𝑖2 𝜔 = 𝐼𝜔; I = σ𝑖 𝑚𝑖 𝑟𝑖2

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Angular momentum of a rotating rigid object
▪ The angular momentum along the 𝑧 axis of the whole object:
𝐿𝑧 = 𝐼𝜔
▪ In vector form: 𝐿 = 𝐼𝜔. (if 𝐿 stands for the component of angular
momentum along the axis of rotation)

▪ Differentiate the equation with respect to time:

𝑑𝐿𝑧 𝑑𝜔
=𝐼 = 𝐼𝛼; 𝛼 is the angular acceleration.
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐿𝑧
▪ is equal to the external torque:
𝑑𝑡

෍ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝐼𝛼

→ the net external torque acting on a rigid object rotating about a

fixed axis equals the moment of inertia about the rotation axis
multiplied by the object’s angular acceleration relative to that axis.

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Example: The seesaw
A father of mass 𝑚𝑓 and his daughter of mass 𝑚𝑑 sit
on opposite ends of a seesaw at equal distances
from the pivot at the center. The seesaw is modeled
as a rigid rod of mass 𝑀 and length 𝑙 and is pivoted
without friction. At a given moment, the combination
rotates in a vertical plane with an angular speed 𝜔.
(A) Find an expression for the magnitude of the
system’s angular momentum.
(B) Find an expression for the magnitude of the
angular acceleration of the system when the
seesaw makes an angle 𝜃 with the horizontal.

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Example: The seesaw
▪ The magnitude of the system’s angular momentum:
𝐿 = 𝐼𝜔; I = ෍ 𝑚𝑖 𝑟𝑖2
𝑖
1
▪ Moment of inertia of the seesaw: 𝐼𝑠𝑠 = 𝑀𝑙 2
12
𝑙 2
▪ Moment of inertia of the father: 𝐼𝑓 = 𝑚𝑓 2
𝑙 2
▪ Moment of inertia of the daughter: 𝐼𝑑 = 𝑚𝑑 2
→ The angular momentum of the system:
𝑙2 𝑀
𝐿 = ( + 𝑚𝑓 + 𝑚𝑑 )𝜔
4 3
σ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡
▪ The angular acceleration: ෍ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝐼𝛼 → 𝛼 =
𝐼
𝑙 𝑙
෍ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝜏𝑓 + 𝜏𝑑 = 𝑚𝑓 𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑚𝑑 𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
2 2

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Angular momentum of an isolated system
𝑑𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡
▪ Angular momentum of the nonisolated system: ෍ 𝜏Ԧ𝑒𝑥𝑡 =
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡
▪ For an isolated system: σ 𝜏Ԧ𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 0 → 𝑑𝑡
= 0 or ∆𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 0

→ Angular momentum of an isolated system is conserved.

∆𝐿𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 0 → 𝐼𝑖 𝜔𝑖 = 𝐼𝑓 𝜔𝑓 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡

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 The motion of gyroscopes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cquvA_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty9QSiVC2g0&ab_chan
pEsA&ab_channel=ScienceOnline nel=Veritasium

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Homework

Problems number 11, 12, 13, 20,

27, 32, 37, 40 on pages 304 - 307

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General Physics 1: Mechanics
Lecture 10: Angular momentum

Dr. Hao Van Bui

Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering
Email: [email protected]