Ryan Job

Partners: Hans Dittrich, Mitchell Petit

Conservation of Angular Momentum Lab

Objective
The objective of this lab was to stage a collision between spinning and stationary washers and collect
data about their rotation. Several graphs were made and analyzed to determine the effect this collision
had on the system.
Setup/Method
We had a Vernier Rotary Motion Kit with a washer that somewhat attached to the kit. This washer was
known as Washer 1. We also had two other washers that could either be dropped onto the initial
washer or were part of the initial system with the first washer. These two washers were labeled as
washers 2 and 3.
The mass, diameter of the hole, and total diameter of each washer were measured. Washer 1 was
placed on the Rotary Motion Kit and spun while recording the graphs of its angle and angular velocity
with respect to time. This was then repeated, only with Washer 2 on top of Washer 1.
Then only Washer 1 was placed on the kit and spun while recording the graphs of its angle and angular
velocity with respect to time. Then, while still recording the graphs, Washer 2 was dropped onto Washer
1. We then analyzed the graph to determine the decrease in angular velocity and how long it took for
this decrease to occur. This was then repeated, only having Washers 1 and 2 on the kit and then Washer
3 was dropped onto the system. This was then repeated a third time, only having just Washer 1 on the
kit and Washers 2 and 3 were simultaneously dropped onto Washer 1.

Ryan Job

Partners: Hans Dittrich, Mitchell Petit

Data and Calculations

The mass of each washer was found using an electronic scale. Analyzing the graphs recorded by Vernier
provided us the Angular Velocity Before and After, T, and . The f / i Ratio was calculated by dividing
f by i. The Moment of Inertia, or I Value, for each washer was calculated using the formula =

2 +^2
.
2

The angular momentum before, or L before, was calculated by multiplying the I value for the

initial system by the i for the trial. The L after was determined the same way, only using the f. The
due to friction was calculated by multiplying the T of the run by the value for the number of washers
that were in the initial system. The percent difference between L before and L after was determined by
dividing the L after by the L before.
Angular velocity
(i) before
(rad/s)

Angular
velocity (f)
after (rad/s)

49.160

27.247

74.526

L before
(kg m^2/s)

L after
(kg m2/s)

friction

% Difference
between L before
and L after

0.55425 0.25

0.378

0.435

-2.3

115.09%

52.428

0.70349 0.30

1.190

1.245

-1.7

104.68%

78.743

34.092

0.43295 0.25

0.605

0.810

-2.3

133.79%

Washer

Mass

I Value

22.2

0.00769

-9.058

23.9

0.00828

-5.637

22.5

0.00779

f / i
Ratio

T
(s)

# of
Value
Washers

A graph was made comparing the angular momentum after the collision and before the collision using
the data in the table above. The point (0,0) was added to the graph.
Angular Momentum After the Collision vs. Before

Ryan Job

Partners: Hans Dittrich, Mitchell Petit

Results/Analysis
The graph of the data had a fairly good correlation coefficient of 0.987. The slope of the graph was fairly
close to 1, although slightly higher. This shows that a very slight amount of momentum was gained after
the collision took place. This could be due to the fact that the moment of inertia for a part of the Rotary
Motion Kit was not taken into account. The slope of the graph has no units since it is simply the ratio of
the angular momentum after the collision compared to before. Ideally, the slope would equal 1,
showing that momentum was perfectly conserved.
Conclusion
The moment of inertia of an object was found to be a coefficient that showed an objects tendency to
resist a change in angular velocity. This is comparable to momentum in a linear system, which is the
tendency of an object to resist a change in linear velocity.
Our graph helped show that momentum is always conserved, even in a rotational system. When mass
was added to the system, the angular velocity decreased. If mass were to be somehow removed from
the system, then the angular velocity would increase, although this is virtually impossible to do,
especially in a high-school physics lab.