6.3 Angular Momentum

Part of Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems in AP® Physics 1: Algebra-Based. Read the opening section, then create a free account for the full interactive lesson, practice, and progress tracking.

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Angular Momentum of a Rigid Body

Just like how objects can have a linear momentum, rigid bodies can have an angular momentum. Angular momentum is a measure of the quantity of rotation an object has, taking into account both its speed of rotation and how its mass is distributed around an axis. It serves the same purpose as the value of linear momentum but just for a rotating system. Angular Momentum is a vector, measured in kilogram meters squared per second (

{kgm^2/s}

), and is represented with the variable

{L}

L=I \omega

${L}$ represents the angular momentum of a rigid body
${I}$ is the rigid body’s rotational inertia
${\omega}$ is the angular velocity of the rigid body

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