What is the angular momentum of an object with a mass of 7 kg7kg that moves along a circular path of radius 4 m4m at a frequency of 4 Hz 4Hz?

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1 Answer
Dec 29, 2015

vecL=2814.867kg.m^2//s hatkL=2814.867kg.m2/sˆk

Explanation:

By definition, angular momentum is the cross product of the position vector from the axis of rotation to the rotating object and the linear momentum of the object.
That is, vecL=vecr xx vecpL=r×p where vecp=mvecvp=mv.

So in this case, the magnitude of the angular momentum is
L=rmvsin90^@L=rmvsin90
=4xx7xx((2pi4xx4)/1)=4×7×(2π4×41), since v=x/tv=xt and the object completes 4 circumferences or cycles per second).
therefore L=2814.867kg.m^2//s.

The direction of L will be obtained by the right hand rule as per normal vector cross-products - curl the fingers of your right hand from vecr to vecp and then your thumb will point in the direction of vecL, which will be perpendicular to the plane formed by vecr and vecp.
So for example if the circular rotation is in the xy-plane formed by the basis unit vectors hati and hatj, then the angular momentum will be along the basis unit vector hatk.