Conservation Of Angular Momentum Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Conservation Of Angular Momentum?
Angular momentum conservation is a fundamental law of physics which states that the total angular momentum of a system remains constant over time. This law applies to any isolated system, meaning that no external forces are acting on it. Angular momentum can be described as the rotational equivalent of linear momentum, and is expressed in terms of the product of an object’s moment of inertia and its angular velocity. This quantity has many applications in both classical and quantum mechanics and has been used to explain phenomena such as planetary orbits, precession, gyroscopic motion, gravitation, etc. The conservation of angular momentum can be seen in everyday life as well as explained using physical laws. For example, when an ice skater spins with their arms outstretched they will spin faster when they bring their arms in close to their body this is because by decreasing their moment of inertia (the amount which resists changes in the body’s rotation) they have increased their angular velocity (the rate at which they rotate).