Northbysouth
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Homework Statement
A 0.5-kg particle is located at the point r = 3m i + 4m k and is moving with a velocity v = 5m/s i -2m/s k . What is the angular momentum of this particle about the origin?
A) 13 kgm^2/s k
B) 13 kgm^2/s j
C) 26 kgm^2/s k
D) 26m^2/s j
E) 13 kgm^2/s i
Homework Equations
L = RxP
where L is angular momentum, R is the distance from the origin and P is the momentum and the x stands for the cross product
P = mv
The Attempt at a Solution
P = 0.5(5m/s i - 2m/s k)
= 5/2 kgm^2/s i - 1kgm^2/s
L = (3i + 4i) x (5/2 kgm^2/s i - 1kgm^2/s)
= -3j - 10j
= -13j
I'm fairly certain that the answer is B because I believe that the cross product should give me a value that is perpendicular to the two vectors, which in this case are i and k, thus the cross product should, I think, include j. Also, I believe that I can eliminate D because the units are incorrect. What I don't understand is why my answer is negative.