Experiment Description

Experiment

Experiment DL08    Conservation of Angular Momentum

Objectives
  • Study the variation in angular speed of a rotating disc during an impact with a non-rotating one by using a rotary motion sensor
  • Determine whether there is change in total angular momentum during an impact between a rotating disc and a non-rotating one
  • Measure the moment of inertia of a disc indirectly through the Law of conservation angular momentum
Description
In this activity, you will study the angular momentum of a rotating disc with the help of a Rotary Motion Sensor.

In Experiment 1, the disc is set into rotation on the pulley of the sensor. Another identical disc is then dropped from a small vertical distance. The change in angular speed which is recorded by the sensor enables you to determine whether the angular momentum of the system is conserved or not.

In Experiment 2, you will drop a known mass onto the disc. The change in angular speed enables you to estimate the moment of inertia of the disc.
Apparatus
Science Workshop 500/700/750 Interface [1]
Rotary Motion Sensor [1]
Rotational Accessory (aluminum disk, 75 g mass) [2]
stand-and-clamp [1]
triple-beam balance [1]
plasticine [1]
Experiment