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How does the law of conservation of angular momentum control a figure-skater's rate of spin?

Short Answer

Expert verified
A figure skater spins faster by pulling their arms in, decreasing their moment of inertia while conserving angular momentum.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum

The law of conservation of angular momentum states that if no external torque acts on a system, the total angular momentum of that system remains constant. Angular momentum (L) can be calculated using the formula: \[ L = I \times \text{ω} \] where \( I \) is the moment of inertia and \( \text{ω} \) is the angular velocity.
02

Understand Moment of Inertia

Moment of inertia (\( I \)) depends on how the mass is distributed in relation to the axis of rotation. It's higher when the mass is farther from the axis and lower when the mass is closer. For a figure skater, extending arms increases \( I \) and pulling arms in decreases \( I \).
03

Relate Moment of Inertia to Angular Velocity

Since angular momentum \( L \) is conserved: \[ L = I_1 \text{ω}_1 = I_2 \text{ω}_2 \] where \( I_1 \) and \( \text{ω}_1 \) are the moment of inertia and angular velocity initially, and \( I_2 \) and \( \text{ω}_2 \) are after a change in position. If \( I \) decreases (by pulling arms in), \( \text{ω} \) increases to keep \( L \) constant.
04

Apply to Figure Skating

When a figure skater starts a spin with arms extended, they have a higher moment of inertia and spin slowly (lower angular velocity). As they pull their arms in, the moment of inertia decreases, and they spin faster (higher angular velocity) to conserve angular momentum.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

angular momentum
Angular momentum is a key concept in the world of physics, especially when understanding rotating bodies like a figure skater. The angular momentum (
Moment of Inertia
The moment of inertia (
Angular velocity
Angular velocity (

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