F15 Mechanics Week 9

Day 1: This may be edited until Sunday Morning, 10:00 AM

Conserving Angular Momentum, when Sum of the Torque = zero

  • Angular momentum = I*alpha, kind of like linear momentum = m*v
  • Torque SOMETIMES = I * alpha, as stated above in rotational dynamics. Torque ALWAYS = rate of change of angular momentum
  • For instance if Torque = zero, then angular momentum is conserved (just like we conserve momentum if there’s no outside force) it doesn’t mean that alpha = zero, like acceleration = 0 if the sum of the forces = 0

Before Class

  • Collect PS #9, Hand back PS#8. PS#10 has been posted.
  • Read 10.5 in your text and check out example 10.14
  • Please watch this video on torque = time derivative of angular momentum
  • Please see video on Coriolis Effect , made by students from Fall, 2014
  • PS#9 due next week has been posted. Please take a look at it.
  • I posted my summary and reflection from your week 8 feedback on the main webpage

In Class:

Day 2:
How can a point mass (with no radius and no moment of inertia) have angular momentum? It all depends on the impact parameter!!

Before Class

In Class

  • Big Exam #5

After Class

Day 3:

Before Class

In Class

After Class

  1. Why does the water stay in the bottom of the bucket?
  2. Where on the earth do you weigh more?

Day 4:

Precession:
Torque is rate of change of angular momentum so dL = (torque)*dt. However, angular momentum is a vector, so you also need torque to change the direction of angular momentum.
Before Class

In Class
Review difficulties on PS#8, and also group work for PS#9

Day 5 (??): Friday. You have until midnight tonight to post your link on the website for full credit.