- #1
hun_nomin
- 7
- 0
Why is "L" the angular momentum
I was wondering why is L used as the symbol for angular momentum?
I was wondering why is L used as the symbol for angular momentum?
Why is L the angular momentum
- Thread starter hun_nomin
- Start date
In summary, the symbol "L" is used to represent angular momentum because the scientist who discovered it was tired of using Greek symbols and randomly chose the letter "L." This is a common convention in science and there may not always be a specific justification for the choice of symbols.
- #2
Pseudo Statistic
- 391
- 6
Because the scientist that discovered it was sick and tired of using Greek symbols and said, "Hmmm, a random letter... l. But l's taking, so we'll use L."
Atleast, that's what I think. :D
Atleast, that's what I think. :D
- #3
- 13,349
- 3,127
There's no (or at least i haven't heard/read of a) justification...Merely a convention.You could ask why we denote the coordinates by x,y,& z instead of d,h,& k... 
Sometimes there is,sometimes there isn't an explanation...
Daniel.
Sometimes there is,sometimes there isn't an explanation...Daniel.
- #4
Galileo
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
- 1,995
- 7
C'mon! It's so OBVIOUS! L, as in AnguLar momentum.
Jeez...
:rofl:
Jeez...
:rofl:1. Why is L the angular momentum?
L is the symbol commonly used to represent angular momentum in physics. It comes from the word "leverage" which relates to the rotational motion and the moment of inertia of a body. In short, it is a mathematical representation of the amount of rotational motion an object possesses.
2. How is angular momentum different from linear momentum?
Angular momentum is a measure of the rotational motion of an object, while linear momentum is a measure of its straight-line motion. Angular momentum takes into account the distribution of mass in an object, while linear momentum only considers its mass and velocity.
3. Why is angular momentum conserved in a closed system?
Angular momentum is conserved in a closed system because of the law of conservation of angular momentum. This law states that the total angular momentum of a system remains constant unless acted upon by an external torque. This means that in the absence of external forces, the total amount of angular momentum in a system will remain constant.
4. How is angular momentum related to inertia?
Angular momentum is directly related to the moment of inertia of an object, which is a measure of its resistance to rotational motion. The higher the moment of inertia, the more angular momentum an object will have for a given rotational speed. This relationship is described by the equation L = Iω, where L is angular momentum, I is moment of inertia, and ω is angular velocity.
5. Can angular momentum be negative?
Yes, angular momentum can be negative. This occurs when the direction of the angular velocity is opposite to the direction of the moment of inertia. In other words, if an object is rotating in the opposite direction of its axis of rotation, its angular momentum will be negative. This is often seen in systems with two or more rotating objects, such as planets orbiting around a star.
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