Angular momentum

In physics the angular momentum of an object with respect to a reference point is a measure for the extent to which, and the direction in which, the object rotates about the reference point.

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In particular, if the body rotates about an axis, then the angular momentum with respect to a point on the axis is related to the mass of the object, the angular velocity and the distance of the mass to the axis.

Related Topics:
Mass - Angular velocity

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Without applying torque to the object, with respect to the reference point, the angular momentum is constant. The angular momentum is a measure for the amount of torque that has been applied over time to the object. The object has rotational inertia that resists changes in rotational motion, quantified by the moment of inertia.

Related Topics:
Torque - Rotational inertia - Motion - Moment of inertia

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Angular momentum is an important concept in both physics and engineering with numerous applications. For example, the kinetic energy stored in a massive rotating object such as a flywheel is proportional to the angular momentum.

Related Topics:
Kinetic energy - Flywheel

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