Conservation Of Angular Momentum Classes Used: PHYS 107, PHYS 170, SCIENCE ONE

angular momentum, inertia Updated on: 06/13/13

Rotating stool, weights (2 to 5 kg), Bicycle wheel on shaft

• With the stool stationary endeavor to rotate the stool by movement of weights held in the hand.

• With the weights held out from the body get an assistant to rotate the platform slowly. The platform will speed up noticeably as the weights are brought in towards the body.

• Now use the bicycle wheel held above the head (like an umbrella) with the shaft vertical. By rotating the wheel by hand the compensating angular momentum of the stool will develop.

• With the bicycle wheel stationary a slow rotation now set up on the stool can be stopped by rotating the bicycle wheel in the same direction.

• Have an assistant hand the rotating bicycle wheel to the student on the stool, holding the shaft vertical. If the student now inverts the wheel in front of themselves a compensating angular momentum of the stool will occur noticeably.