Conservation of Angular Momentum Concept

Demonstrations in Conservation of Angular Momentum

Gray metal stool seated inside a wooden rotating turntable, with two gray dumbbells on the stool seat

Rotating Table

Demonstrates conservation of angular momentum. A person on a rotating platform changes speed by moving hand weights inward (faster) or outward (slower), showing the inverse relationship between moment of inertia …
Person standing on a small rotating platform in front of a blackboard, holding a hand weight extended at arm's length
Safety

Steering on a Turntable

Demonstrates conservation of angular momentum in a system with zero external torque. Swinging a hand weight on a rotating platform causes the platform to rotate in the opposite direction, showing …
Centrifugal governor at rest on a centrifugal machine, showing two brass balls on hinged arms in the lowered position with a central threaded shaft
Safety

Centrifugal Governor

Demonstrates how centripetal force depends on angular velocity. As rotation speed increases, the brass masses swing outward and upward on their hinged arms, illustrating the force balance between tension, gravity, …
Apparatus laid out on a table: a black snap-hook clip with keyring, white string running to an aluminum cylinder on one end, and a dark rubber or lead hanging mass attached near the clip
Safety

Rotational Energy Conservation

Demonstrates conservation of angular momentum. A mass spins in a horizontal circle on a string; shortening the radius decreases and the angular velocity increases to conserve. The dramatic speed-up (quadrupling …
Small and large Hoberman spheres side by side on a surface, both partially expanded, made of rainbow-colored interconnected plastic struts
Safety

Hoberman Sphere

A spinning Hoberman sphere dramatically speeds up when contracted, demonstrating conservation of angular momentum. The sphere shrinks from 137 cm to 43 cm diameter, producing roughly a 15× increase in …
Round-bottom glass flask with two horizontal glass exit tubes, suspended by string from a horizontal rod between two bench clamp stands; a BernzOmatic propane torch sits below on the bench
Safety

Hero's Engine

Demonstrates Newton's third law and rocket propulsion in a rotational context. A suspended flask with tangential exit tubes spins when the water inside boils — escaping steam exerts a reactive …