Angular Momentum and Fixed Axis Rotation

Tutorials
T2A: Angular momentum of point particles

1. Find the components of angular momentum of a particle moving in a

plane in terms of polar coordinates.

2. KK 7.3: A ring of mass M and radius R is resting flat on a frictionless

table. It is pivoted to the table at a point on its rim. A bug of mass m
starts at the pivot and crawls around the ring with constant speed v.
The ring will now swing about the pivot. Find the rotational speed of
the ring when the bug (a) is halfway round the ring (b) is back at the
pivot.

3. KK 7.4: A spaceship is suspended motionless at a distance 5R from

the center of a planet of mass M and radius R. It fires an instrument
package of mass m with speed v0 , at an angle θ towards the planet.
What must θ be so that the package just grazes the surface of the
planet?

4. Angular momentum of a system of particles: Consider a system of

particles mi with position vectors ~ri with respect to some fixed origin
in a coordinate system fixed in the lab. Show that the total angular
momentum of the system in the lab frame of reference is the sum ofthe
angular momentum of the Center of Mass of the system and the angular
momentum of all the particles with respect to the center of mass.

T2B: Fixed Axis rotation

1. KK 7.6 A man of mass M stands on a railroad car which is rounding a

turn of radius R at speed v. His center of mass is at a height L above
the car and his feet are distance d apart.

(a) Consider a frame fixed to the lab, with the origin at the instanta-
neous CM of the man, but NOT moving with him.
i. What are the forces acting on the man
ii. What is the net torque acting on the man
iii. What is the angular momentum of the man

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 Figure 1: Figure from Kleppner and Kolenkow

iv. What is the condition for him to topple over

(b) Now consider a frame with the origin at the centre of the circle.
Answer the same question given above, in this frame

2. KK7.18: Consider a physical pendulum consisting of a disk of mass M

and radius R fixed to the end of rod of mass m and length l.

(a) If we want to find the time period of the pendulum what would
be a convenient origin?
(b) Find the moment of inertia about that origin.
(c) Will the moment of inertia change if the disk is attached to the
rod through frictionless bearings so that it is free to spin?
(d) Find the time period for both the cases.

3. KK 7.22: We have already studied the equation of motion for a bead

sliding frictionlessly on a rod rotating with constant angular speed ω.
One possible motion is r(t) = r0 eωt .

(a) Find the force exerted by the bead on the rod. What is the direc-
tion of this force?
(b) What is the power required to keep the rod rotating at constant
ω?
(c) Show that this power is equal to the rate of change of kinetic
energy of the bead.

Extra Problems:

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1. Angular acceleration and contraction: A stone of mass M tied to a
string and moves without friction, in a circle on a table. The string
passes through a hole in the table and is pulled down through the hole,
shortening the radius of the circle. Suppose the speed of the stone is
v0 when the radius is r0 . What is the work done in shortening it to r?
Compare this situation to the string winding round a smooth peg of
radius a fixed at the center. Is angular momentum conserved? (Teth-
erball problem, KK 7.13)

2. An electron moves round a proton in a circular orbit of radius 0.5Å

(a) Find the orbital angular momentum of the electron in J-s.

(b) What is the total energy of the electron? Express your answer in
Joules and then convert to electron volts.
(c) What energy must be imparted to the electron to tear it away
from the influence of the proton?