ZOOM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

DURGAPUR
(Senior Secondary: Affiliated to CBSE, Delhi)

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT FILE

SESSION: 2023-24
NAME: SUBHRA KHAN
CLASS: XI
SECTION: E
ROLL NO.: 18
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 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Subhra Khan, a student of class XI Sec. E
Roll no.18 has successfully completed the Physics Investigatory
Project work for the class XI Practical Examination in the year of
2023-24. It is further certified that this Investigatory Project work
is the individual work of the candidate.

____________________________ _________________________
(Signature of Internal Examiner) (Signature of External Examiner)

__________________________________
(Signature of Principal)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Despite my efforts and hard works this activity file would not have
been possible without the kind support and help of many
individuals.
I would like to thank our Principal sir Mr. Raj Paulson Shekhar and
my school for providing me with the facilities, required for doing
this Investigatory Project work. I am highly indebted to our physics
teacher Mr. Ranajit Dey for his valuable guidance which has
sustained my efforts in all the stages of this Investigatory Project
work.
I would also like to extend my appreciation and gratitude towards
my parents and friends without whom this Investigatory Project
work would not have been completed on time.

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 INDEX
SL TOPICS COVERED PAGE
NO NO

1. Introduction 05-06
2. Application of angular momentum 07

3. Basic information about angular momentum 08

4. What is conservation of angular momentum? 09

5. Proof of conservation of angular momentum 10

6. Simple Experiment on Conservation of 11-13

angular momentum
7. Bibliography 14

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 INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS ANGULAR MOMENTUM?
In physics, angular momentum is the rotational analog of linear
momentum. It is an important physical quantity because it is
a conserved quantity – the total angular momentum of a closed
system remains constant. Angular momentum has both
a direction and a magnitude, and both are conserved. Bicycles and
motorcycles, flying discs, rifled bullets, and gyroscopes owe their
useful properties to conservation of angular momentum.
Conservation of angular momentum is also why hurricanes form
spirals and neutron stars have high rotational rates. In general,
conservation limits the possible motion of a system, but it does not
uniquely determine it.

The three-dimensional angular momentum for a point particle is

classically represented as a pseudovector r × p, the cross product of
the particle's position vector r (relative to some origin) and
its momentum vector; the latter is p = mv in Newtonian mechanics.
Unlike linear momentum, angular momentum depends on where
this origin is chosen, since the particle's position is measured from
it.
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Angular momentum is an extensive quantity; that is, the total
angular momentum of any composite system is the sum of the
angular momenta of its constituent parts. For a continuous rigid
body or a fluid, the total angular momentum is the volume
integral of angular momentum density (angular momentum per unit
volume in the limit as volume shrinks to zero) over the entire body.

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 APPLICATION OF ANGULAR
MOMENTUM :

Ice Skating
When an ice-skater goes for a spin she starts off with her hands
and legs far apart from the centre of her body. But when she
needs more angular velocity to spin, she gets her hands and leg
closer to her body. Hence, her angular momentum is conserved,
and she spins faster.

Gyroscope
A gyroscope uses the principle of angular momentum to
maintain its orientation. It utilises a spinning wheel that has 3
degrees of freedom. When it is rotated at high speed it locks on
to the orientation, and it won’t deviate from its orientation. This
is useful in space applications where the attitude of a spacecraft
is a really important factor to be controlled.

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 BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT
ANGULAR MOMENTUM

The angular momentum is a

Symbol
vector quantity, denoted by

It is measured using SI base

Units
units: Kg.m2.s-1

The dimensional formula is:

Dimensional formula
[M][L]2[T]-1

Angular Momentum Formula

Angular momentum can be experienced by an object in two situations.
They are:
Point object: The object accelerating around a fixed point. For
example, Earth revolving around the sun. Here the angular momentum
is given by:
L= r x p

Extended object: The object, which is rotating about a fixed point. For
example, Earth rotates about its axis. Here the angular momentum is
given by:
L= I x Ɯ

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WHAT IS CONSERVATION OF ANGULAR
MOMENTUM?
LAW:
The law of conservation of angular momentum states that the total
angular momentum of a system remains constant unless an external
torque acts on the system.

When applied to angular momentum, the law of conservation means

that the momentum of a rotating object does not change unless some
type of external torque is applied. Torque, in this sense, can refer to
any outside force that acts upon the object to cause it to twist or
rotate. Without the application of torque (net torque is zero), the
angular momentum remains constant. Therefore, the momentum
remains conserved.

One example of this principle in action is a gyroscope, which

exploits the law of conservation of angular momentum to stabilize,
guide or measure rotationalmovement in many types of systems.
The law of conservation also explains why a spinning Frisbee soars
on a stable trajectory through the air rather than dropping
immediately to the ground.

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PROOF:
Let a particle of mass “m” whose position vector with respect to
origin at any instant is

The linear velocity of the particle is given by:

𝑑𝑟
v=
𝑑𝑡

The linear momentum and angular momentum of the body is given

by p = mv and l = r × p ,about an axis through the origin.

The angular momentum “l” may change with time due to a torque on
the particle.

𝑑𝑙 𝑑
= 𝑑𝑡 ( r x p )
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑝
= 𝑑𝑡 x p + r x 𝑑𝑡

= v x mv + r + F

=r xF(v xv =0 )

=r
𝑑𝑝
Where , 𝑑𝑡 = F the force on the particle
𝑑𝑙
Hence if Ƭ = 0, 𝑑𝑡 = 0
∴ l = constant, i.e. l is conserved.

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Simple Experiment Based On Angular
Momentum
The law of conservation of angular momentum states that the total
angular momentum of a system remains constant unless an external
torque acts on the system. In this project, we will demonstrate the
conservation of angular momentum using a simple experiment.

Materials:
1. A rotating platform or turntable
2. Two objects of different masses
3. A ruler or measuring tape
4. Stopwatch or timer
Procedure:
1. Set up the rotating platform or turntable and make sure it is level
and stable.
2. Place one of the objects on the platform at a distance r from the
centre of rotation
3. Start the platform rotating at a constant angular velocity by
turning on the motor.
4. Measure the distance r from the center of rotation to the object.
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5.Record the time it takes for the object to complete one full
revolution (i.e., 360 degrees) around the center of rotation.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 for the other object, placing it at the same
distance r from the center of rotation.
7. Calculate the angular momentum of each object using the formula
L = Iω, where I is the moment of inertia and ω is the angular
velocity.
8. Compare the angular momentum of the two objects and observe
that they are different due to their different masses.
9. Next, place both objects on the platform at the same distance r
from the center of rotation.
10. Start the platform rotating at the same constant angular velocity
as before.
11. Measure the time it takes for both objects to complete one full
revolution around the center of rotation.
12. Calculate the total angular momentum of the system (i.e., both
objects) using the formula L = Iω.
13. Compare the total angular momentum of the system to the sum
of the individual angular momenta of the two objects.
14. Observe that the total angular momentum of the system is
conserved, as it is equal to the sum of the individual angular
momentum of the two objects.
Results:
The experiment demonstrates that the total angular momentum of
a system is conserved, as long as no external torque acts on the
system. The angular momentum of each object is proportional to
its mass and distance from the center of rotation. When two
objects are placed on the rotating platform, their individual
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angular momenta add up to give the total angular momentum of
the system. The conservation of angular momentum has many
practical applications, including the design of rockets, satellites,
and other rotating systems.
Conclusion:
The experiment shows that angular momentum is conserved in a
closed system. By measuring the angular velocity and distance
from the center of rotation, we can calculate the angular
momentum of a rotating object. When two objects are placed on
the same rotating platform, their combined angular momentum is
equal to the sum of their individual angular momenta. This
principle is essential in understanding the behavior of rotating
systems and is used in many fields of science and engineering

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 Bibliography
Physics textbook:NCERT and SL.Arora
Websites: 1 . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_momentum
2. https://byjus.com/physics/angular-momentum/

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