Angular momentum - can you start spinning while falling?

[hatingphysics]

-- A person is hanging motionless from a vertical rop over a swimming pool. She let's go of the rope and drops straight down. After letting go, is it possible for her to curl into a ball and start spinning? Justify your answer....is there going to be angular velocity? will that allow her to spin?

-- Sit-ups are more difficult to do with your hands placed behind your head instead of on your stomach. Why?...does it have to do with moment of inertia? if not i have no idea where to go from here?!

 

[PhanthomJay]

-- A person is hanging motionless from a vertical rop over a swimming pool. She let's go of the rope and drops straight down. After letting go, is it possible for her to curl into a ball and start spinning? Justify your answer....is there going to be angular velocity? will that allow her to spin?assuming no air, what do you know about the conservation of angular momentum principle? What is her initial angular momentum? Can she apply a torque to start rotating?[/color]

-- Sit-ups are more difficult to do with your hands placed behind your head instead of on your stomach. Why?...does it have to do with moment of inertia? if not i have no idea where to go from here?!Is the persons rotational inertia greater with her arms on her head? Why or why not? What does that say about the torque she must apply to start her rotation about the waist?[/color]

See comments in red above.