Summer 2012 PHYS 172: Modern Mechanics

Lecture 19 Angular momentum Read 11.4 11.7

The angular momentum principle
dp
dt
F
net
dL
A
dt
?
d r
A
p
( )
dt

dr
A
dt
p + r
A

dp
dt
v mv
0 =
F
net
The angular momentum principle
for a point particle
A
A
r
net
F
p
dL
A
dt
r
A
F
net
L
A
r
A
F
net
( )
t
torque :

A
r
A
F
net

A

A
t
Note:
The angular momentum principle is derived from the momentum principle
Clicker
torque :

A
r
A
F
net

A
r
A
F
net
sin
A
t
1. Which case corresponds to largest torque?
A



B



C
2. The direction of Torque in case B is:
A) into page
B) out of page
C) it has no direction since it is zero
A
r

A A net
r F t

=
Torque at angle
Example:
momentum and angular momentum principles
dp
dt
F
net
( )
d mv
mg
dt
=
dv
g
dt
=
Use the momentum principle:
dL
A
dt
r
A
F
net

A
Use the angular momentum principle:

A
xmg
A
L r p xmv

= =
L
A
r
A
p
L
A
( )
d xmv
dv
xm
dt dt
=
dv
g
dt
=
Falling object
(nonrelativistic)
Conservation of angular momentum
L
A,system
+ L
A,surroundings
0
Example:
Important: both Ls must be about the same point (axis)
A comet
L
A
r
A
p
1 1 2 2
r mv r mv =
1 1 2 2
r v r v =
dL
A
dt
r
A
F
net

A
A
r
grav
F
CLICKER: What is the direction of the torque on the comet in point B about
the star due to gravitational pull?

A) Into the page
B) Out of the page
C) It is zero
B
(nonrelativistic)
Example: Kepler and elliptical orbits
Kepler, 1609: a radius vector joining any planet to the Sun sweeps out
equal areas in equal lengths of time
Can be easily proven using conservation of angular momentum
See book p. 430 (11.4)
Clicker
A ball falls straight down in the xy plane. Its momentum is shown by the
blue arrow. What is the direction of the ball's angular momentum
about the origin?
x
y
A) +y
B) y
C) +z (out of the page)
D) z (into the page)
E) zero magnitude
L
A
r
A
p
Clicker
A planet orbits a star, in a circular orbit in the
xy plane. Its momentum is shown by the red
arrow.
What is the direction of the angular
momentum of the planet in respect to
the star?
A) same direction as
B) opposite to
C) into the page
D) out of the page
E) zero magnitude
p
p
p
L
A
r
A
p

net ,ext ,A
L
tot ,A
Multiparticle system
r
1
r
2
r
3
F
1,ext
f
13
f
12
f
31
f
23
f
32
f
21
d L
1
+ L
2
+ L
3
( )
dt

dL
1
dt
+
dL
2
dt
+
dL
3
dt
r
1
F
1,ext
+ r
2
F
2,ext
+ r
3
F
3,ext
Net torque caused by internal forces cancels out!
m
1

m
2

m
3

A
1 2
r r

=
F
2,ext
F
3,ext
dL
1
dt
r
1
F
1,ext
+ r
1
f
12
+ r
1
f
13
dL
2
dt
r
2
F
2,ext
+ r
2
f
21
+ r
2
f
23
dL
3
dt
r
3
F
3,ext
+ r
3
f
31
+ r
3
f
32
The angular momentum principle
for a multiparticle system
dL
tot ,A
dt

net ,ext , A
L
tot , A

net ,ext ,A
t
The angular momentum principle relative to the center of mass:
dL
cm
dt

d
dt
r
cm,cm
P
tot
( )
+ L
rot

dL
rot
dt
dL
rot
dt

net ,cm
L
rot

net ,cm
t
The three principles of mechanics
Momentum
Angular momentum Energy
dp
dt
F
net
dL
A
dt

A
E W Q A = +
External force:
momentum changes
External torque:
angular momentum
changes
Energy input:
energy of the system
changes
No external force:
momentum is constant
No external torque:
angular momentum
is constant
No energy input:
energy of the system
is constant
Location of object
does not matter
Location of object
relative to A
does matter
Location of object
does not matter
(fundamental) (fundamental) (derived)
Angular momentum: a system with no torque
http://www.hep.phys.soton.ac.uk/courses/phys2006/
dL
rot
dt

net ,cm
0
rot
L Ie =
2 2
1 1 2 2
... I m r m r

= + +
i f
I I >
f f i i
I I e e =
i
f i
f
I
I
e e =
D
o
r
o
t
h
y

H
a
m
i
l
l

,

1
9
8
5

Angular momentum: a system with no torque
Cat always lands on its feet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHhXbOhK_hs
Angular momentum: application
A free-falling cat cannot alter its total
angular momentum. Nonetheless, by
swinging its tail and twisting its body to
alter its moment of inertia, the cat can
manage to alter its orientation
See also book example: High dive
page 437
Angular momentum: application
A meteor rips through
a satellite with solar panels.
Calculate:
v
x
,v
y
of center of mass
f
angular velocity
Momentum principle:

Mv + mv
1
cos
( )
, mv
1
sin ,0 Mv
x
+ mv
2
cos
( )
, Mv
y
+ mv
2
sin
( )
,0
( )
1 2
cos
x
m
v v v v
M
u = +
( )
1 2
sin
y
m
v v v
M
u =
x
y

Angular momentum: application
A meteor rips through
a satellite with solar panels.
Calculate:
v
x
,v
y
of center of mass

f
angular velocity
Angular momentum principle:
1 2
cos cos
i f
I mv h I mv h e u e u + = +
( )
1 2
cos
f i
hm
v v
I
e e u = +
For sphere:
2
2
5
I MR =
Direction?

Static equilibrium: seesaw
dL
A
dt

net ,ext ,A
0

net ,ext ,A
r
1
M
1
g
( )
+ r
2
M
2
g
( )
0
M
1
r
1
+ M
2
r
2
( )
g 0
M
1
r
1
M
2
r
2
1 1 2 2
, 0, 0 , 0, 0 M d M d =
1 1 2 2
M d M d =
A
1
r
2
r
r
cm

M
1
r
1
+ M
2
r
2
M
1
+ M
2
0