angular momentum

noun, Physics.

the product of the moment of inertia of a body about an axis and its angular velocity with respect to the same axis.

Also called moment of momentum.

Origin

1865-70

Examples from the web for angular momentum

Shut-off would imply repeal of the law of conservation of angular momentum.
Bouncing around gives the proton a net angular momentum.
Conservation of angular momentum creates a fluid diode with no internal obstructions.
The material must lose its angular momentum, a process that needs some time and is not done in a few moments.
Car turning to right more about vectors, scalars, change in angular momentum.
All the contraction mechanisms tend to create angular momentum.
Apparently the conservation of angular momentum is a poorly enforced law in that neighborhood.
At that time, a problem arose because it seemed that both energy and angular momentum were not conserved in beta-decay.
The diminishment of this universal angular momentum in the current universe may simply allow the production of antimatter.
Spiral arms remove angular momentum from the center of the galaxy, allowing it to achieve a state of higher binding energy.

British Dictionary definitions for angular momentum

angular momentum

noun

a property of a mass or system of masses turning about some fixed point; it is conserved in the absence of the action of external forces

angular momentum in Science

angular momentum

(āng'gyə-lər)
A measure of the momentum of a body in rotational motion. The angular momentum of rigid bodies is conserved; thus, a spinning sphere will continue to spin unless acted on by an outside force. Changes in angular momentum are equivalent to torque. In classical mechanics, angular momentum is equal to the product of the angular velocity of the body and its moment of inertia around the axis of rotation. It is a vector quantity; the vector points up along the axis of counterclockwise rotation. In quantum mechanics, the angular momentum of a physical system is quantized and can only take on discrete values. See also Planck's constant, spin.