Magnitude of the angular momentum?

In summary, the magnitude of angular momentum is a measure of the rotational motion of an object or system. It is calculated by multiplying the moment of inertia by the angular velocity, and its direction is perpendicular to the plane of rotation. The greater the moment of inertia and angular velocity, the larger the magnitude of angular momentum. It is a conserved quantity, meaning it remains constant unless acted upon by an external torque. Angular momentum plays a crucial role in various physical phenomena, including planetary motion, spinning objects, and quantum mechanics.
  • #1
erik-the-red
89
1
Question:

A particle with charge 6.40 * 10^(-19) C travels in a circular orbit with radius 4.68 mm due to the force exerted on it by a magnetic field with magnitude 1.65 T and perpendicular to the orbit.

It then asks for the linear and angular momentum.

I got the linear momentum by using an equation I found in the text. But I didn't find any equation for the angular momentum, and that is where I'm stuck at.
 
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  • #2
Let's start with a definition: http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/AngularMomentum.html" .
 
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  • #3
radou, thanks a lot. I was thinking about [tex]L = I\omega[/tex], but I thought that calculating the moment of inertia was probably not the right thing to do in this problem.
 

What is angular momentum?

Angular momentum is a physical quantity that describes the rotational motion of an object around an axis. It is a vector quantity that takes into account the mass, velocity, and distance from the axis of rotation of an object.

How is angular momentum calculated?

Angular momentum is calculated by multiplying the moment of inertia (a measure of an object's resistance to rotational motion) by the angular velocity (the rate at which an object is rotating) and the distance from the axis of rotation.

What is the formula for angular momentum?

The formula for angular momentum is L = Iω, where L is angular momentum, I is moment of inertia, and ω is angular velocity.

Why is angular momentum important?

Angular momentum is important because it is a conserved quantity in a closed system, meaning it remains constant unless acted upon by an external torque. This principle is used in many areas of physics, such as in understanding the motion of planets around the sun.

What is the unit of angular momentum?

The unit of angular momentum is kilogram meter squared per second (kg·m^2/s), which is equivalent to joule seconds (J·s).

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