Physics 101

Lecture 11
Angular Momentum
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali ÖVGÜN
EMU Physics Department
 Angular Momentum
❑ Torque using vectors
❑ Angular Momentum

December 18, 2024

Torque as a Cross Product
   ❑ The torque is the cross product of a force
 = r F vector with the position vector to its point
of application
 = rF sin  = r⊥ F = r F⊥
❑ The torque vector is perpendicular to the
plane formed by the position vector and
the force vector (e.g., imagine drawing
them tail-to-tail)
❑ Right Hand Rule: curl fingers from r to F,
thumb points along torque.
Superposition:
   
 net =  i =  ri  Fi (vector sum)
all i all i
❑ Can have multiple forces applied at multiple
points.
❑ Direction of net is angular acceleration axis
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Net torque example: multiple forces at a single point z
F2
3 forces applied at point r : 

r  r cos  ˆi + 0 ˆj + r sin  kˆ
F1
F3
 
F1 = 2 ˆi; F2 = 2 kˆ ; F3 = 2 ˆj; r = 3;  = 30 o r
y

Find the net torque about the origin:

τ net = r  Fnet = r  ( F1 + F2 + F3 ) x

rx  rsin() = 3sin(30 o ) = 1.5

= (r ˆi + r kˆ )  (2ˆi + 2ˆj + 2kˆ )
set
x z rz  rcos( ) = 3cos(30 o ) = 2.6

= 2rx ˆi × ˆi + 2rx ˆi × ˆj + 2rx ˆi × kˆ + 2rz kˆ × ˆi + 2rz kˆ × ˆj + 2rz kˆ × kˆ

τ net = 0 + 2r kˆ + 2r (−)ˆj + 2r ˆj + 2r (−)ˆi + 0
x x z z i
= −3ˆi − 2.2ˆj + 5.2kˆ
oblique rotation axis
 τ net through origin
j k
Here all forces were applied at the same point.
For forces applied at different points, first calculate
the individual torques, then add them as vectors,
i.e., use:    
net =  i =  ri  Fi (vector sum)
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all i all i
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 Angular Momentum
❑ Same basic techniques that were used in linear
motion can be applied to rotational motion.
◼ F becomes 
◼ m becomes I
◼ a becomes 
◼ v becomes ω
◼ x becomes θ
❑ Linear momentum defined as p = mv
❑ What if mass of center of object is not moving,
but it is rotating?
❑ Angular momentum L = Iω
December 18, 2024
 Angular Momentum I
❑ Angular momentum of a rotating rigid object

L = Iω



L
◼ L has the same direction as  *
◼ L is positive when object rotates in CCW
◼ L is negative when object rotates in CW
❑ Angular momentum SI unit: kg-m2/s
Calculate L of a 10 kg disk when  = 320 rad/s, R = 9 cm = 0.09 m
L = I and I = MR2/2 for disk
L = 1/2MR2 = ½(10)(0.09)2(320) = 12.96 kgm2/s
*When rotation is about a principal axis

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 Angular Momentum II
❑ Angular momentum of a particle
L = I = mr 2 = mv⊥ r = mvr sin  = rp sin 
❑ Angular momentum of a particle

L = r × p = m(r × v )

◼ r is the particle’s instantaneous position vector

◼ p is its instantaneous linear momentum
◼ Only tangential momentum component contribute
◼ Mentally place r and p tail to tail form a plane, L is
perpendicular to this plane
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Angular Momentum of a Particle in
Uniform Circular Motion
Example: A particle moves 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.
❑ The angular momentum vector
points out of the diagram
❑ The magnitude is
L = rp sin = mvr sin(90o) = mvr
❑ A particle in uniform circular motion O

has a constant angular momentum

about an axis through the center of
its path
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 Angular momentum III
❑ Angular momentum of a system of particles
L net = L1 + L 2 + ... + L n =  Li =  ri  pi
all i all i

◼ angular momenta add as vectors

◼ be careful of sign of each angular momentum

for this case:

L net = L1 + L 2 = r1  p1 + r2  p 2
L net = + r⊥1 p1 − r⊥2 p 2

December 18, 2024

Example: calculating angular momentum for particles

Two objects are moving as shown in the figure .

What is their total angular momentum about point
O?
L net = L1 + L 2 = r1  p1 + r2  p 2 m2

Lnet = r1mv1 sin 1 − r2 mv2 sin  2

= r1mv1 − r2 mv2
= 2.8  3.1 3.6 − 1.5  6.5  2.2
= 31.25 − 21.45 = 9.8 kg m 2 /s m1
Direction of L is out of screen.
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 Recall: Linear Momentum
and Force
❑ Linear motion: apply force to a mass
❑ The force causes the linear momentum to change
❑ The net force acting on a body is the time rate of
change of its linear momentum
dv dp
Fnet = F = ma = m =
dt dt
p = mv
I=L Fnet t = p
 =
t December 18, 2024
Angular Momentum and Torque
❑ Rotational motion: apply torque to a rigid body
❑ The torque causes the angular momentum to change
❑ The net torque acting on a body is the time rate of
change of its angular momentum

dp dL
Fnet = F = τ net = τ =
dt dt

❑ τ and L are to be measured about the same origin

❑ The origin must not be accelerating (must be an
inertial frame)
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 Demonstration
 
  dp   dL
Fnet = F =  net =  =
dt dt

❑ Start from dL = d (r  p ) = m d (r  v )
dt dt dt
❑ Expand using derivative chain rule
  
d    dr   dv     
= m (r  v ) = m   v + r   = mv  v + r  a 
dL
dt dt  dt dt 

          
= mv  v + r  a  = mr  a = r  (ma ) = r  Fnet =  net
dL
dt
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What about SYSTEMS of Rigid

Bodies?
 dL i
Rotational 2 law for a single body : i =
nd

dt
Total angular momentum   • individual
of a system of bodies: Lsys =  L i • all about sameangular momenta Li
origin
 
dLsys dLi  • i = net torque on particle “i”
 = =  i • internal torque pairs are
dt dt i included in sum

BUT… internal torques in the sum cancel in Newton 3rd law

pairs. Only External Torques contribute to Lsys

dLsys  
=  i ,ext =  net net external torque on the system
dt i

Nonisolated System: If a system interacts with its environment in the

sense that there is an external torque on the system, the net external
torque acting on a system is equal to the time rate of change of its
angular momentum.
December 18, 2024
Example: A Non-isolated System

A sphere mass m1 and a block a
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 
a
pulley have negligible mass.
The block slides on a
frictionless, horizontal surface.
Find an expression for the
linear acceleration of the two
objects.   ext = m1 gR

December 18, 2024

 
a
Masses are connected by a light cord. Find the
linear acceleration a.
• Use angular momentum approach I
• No friction between m2 and table
• Treat block, pulley and sphere as a non-
isolated system rotating about pulley axis. 
a
As sphere falls, pulley rotates, block slides
• Constraints:
Equal v's and a's for block and sphere
v = ωR for pulley α = d  / dt
a = αR = dv / dt
• Ignore internal forces, consider external forces only
• Net external torque on system:  net = m1 gR about center of wheel
• Angular momentum of system: Lsys = m1vR + m2 vR + Iω = m1vR + m2 vR + MR 2 ω
(not constant)
dLsys
= m1aR + m2 aR + MR 2 α = (m1 R + m2 R + MR)a = τ net = m1 gR
dt
m1 g same result followed from earlier
a =
M + m1 + m2 method using 3 FBD’s & 2nd law
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 Isolated System
❑ Isolated system: net external torque acting on
a system is ZERO
◼ no external forces
◼ net external force acting on a system is ZERO

dLtot
 τ ext = =0
dt

Ltot = constant or Li = L f

December 18, 2024

Angular Momentum Conservation
Ltot = constant or Li = L f

❑ Here i denotes initial state, f is the final state

❑ L is conserved separately for x, y, z direction
❑ For an isolated system consisting of particles,

Ltot =  L n = L1 + L 2 + L 3 + = constant

❑ For an isolated system that is deformable

I ii = I f  f = constant
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 Example
❑ A puck of mass m = 0.5 kg is
attached to a taut cord passing
through a small hole in a
frictionless, horizontal surface. The
puck is initially orbiting with speed
vi = 2 m/s in a circle of radius ri
= 0.2 m. The cord is then slowly
pulled from below, decreasing the
radius of the circle to r = 0.1 m.
❑ What is the puck’s speed at the
smaller radius?
❑ Find the tension in the cord at the
smaller radius.
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Angular Momentum Conservation
❑ m = 0.5 kg, vi = 2 m/s, ri =
0.2 m, rf = 0.1 m, vf = ?
❑ Isolated system?
❑ Tension force on m exert zero
torque about hole, why?

Li = L f L = r  p = r  (mv )

Li = mri vi sin 90 = mri vi L f = mrf v f sin 90 = mrf v f

ri 0.2 v 2f 42
v f = vi = 2 = 4 m/s T = mac = m = 0.5 = 80 N
rf 0.1 rf 0 .1
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 Isolated
System

 
τ net = 0 about z - axis  L = constant

L= I ω
initial
i i = I
final
f ωf Moment of inertia
changes

December 18, 2024

 Controlling spin () by changing I (moment of inertia)

In the air, net = 0

L is constant

L = I ii = I f  f
Change I by curling up or stretching out
- spin rate  must adjust

Moment of inertia changes

December 18, 2024

Example: A merry-go-round problem

A 40-kg child running at 4.0

m/s jumps tangentially onto a
stationary circular merry-go-
round platform whose radius is
2.0 m and whose moment of
inertia is 20 kg-m2. There is
no friction.

Find the angular velocity of

the platform after the child
has jumped on.

December 18, 2024

 The Merry-Go-Round
❑ The moment of inertia of the
system = the moment of
inertia of the platform plus the
moment of inertia of the
person.
◼ Assume the person can be
treated as a particle
❑ As the person moves toward
the center of the rotating
platform the moment of inertia
decreases.
❑ The angular speed must
increase since the angular
momentum is constant.

December 18, 2024

Solution: A merry-go-round problem

Ltot =  I i ωi = I f ωf

Li = I ii = I0 + mc vT r = mc vT r

L f = I f ω f = ( I + mc r 2 )ω f
I = 20 kg.m2
VT = 4.0 m/s ( I + mc r 2 )ω f = mc vT r
mc = 40 kg
r = 2.0 m mc vT r 40  4  2
0 = 0 ωf = = = 1.78 rad/s
I + mc r 2
10 + 40  2 2

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