Question

A particle has mass 0.5 kg and is traveling along the line x=5.0m at 2.0 m/s in the positive y-direction. What is the particle’s angular momentum about the origin?

a) 1.0 kg m²/s
b) 2.0 kg m²/s
c) 5.0 kg m²/s
d) 10.0 kg m²/s

Answer 1

The particle's angular momentum about the origin is 5.0 kg m²/s.

Step-by-step explanation:

The angular momentum of a particle about the origin is given by the formula L = r x p, where r is the position vector and p is the momentum vector of the particle. In this case, the particle is traveling along the line x=5.0m at a velocity of 2.0 m/s in the positive y-direction.

Since the particle is moving only in the y-direction, the position vector r will be equal to the distance from the origin in the y-direction, which is 5.0m.

The momentum vector p will be equal to the product of the particle's mass (0.5 kg) and its velocity (2.0 m/s) in the y-direction. Plugging these values into the formula, we get:

L = 5.0m * (0.5 kg * 2.0 m/s) = 5.0 kg m²/s

Therefore, the particle's angular momentum about the origin is 5.0 kg m²/s.