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--- 183_notes:examples:angular_momentum_of_halley_s_comet [2014/11/20 06:37] – pwirving
+++ 183_notes:examples:angular_momentum_of_halley_s_comet [2014/11/20 16:30] (current) – pwirving
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 === Approximations & Assumptions ===
+No other interactions the rest of the solar system.
+Assume main interaction is with the sun.
@@ Line 48: / Line 50: @@
 $\left|\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}\right| = \left|\vec{r}_A\right|\left|\vec{v}\right|\left|m\right|\sin \theta$
+Substituting in for the known variables we get:
 $\mid\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}\mid$ = $(8.77$ x $10^{10}m)(2.2$ x $10^{14}kg)(5.46$ x $10^4m/s)sin 90^{\circ}$
+Solving for $\mid\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}\mid$ we get:
 $= 1.1$ x $10^{30}$ $kg \cdot m^2/s$
+In vector form $\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}$ is:
 $\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}$ = $\langle{0, 0, -1.1 x 10^30}\rangle$ $kg \cdot m^2/s$
-At location 2:
+The same step by step process is used to solve for $\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}$ at location 2:
 $\mid\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}\mid$ = $(1.19$ x $10^{12}m)(2.2$ x $10^{14}kg)(1.32$ x $10^4m/s)sin 17.81^{\circ}$
@@ Line 63: / Line 71: @@
 $\vec{L}_{trans,Sun}$ = $\langle{0, 0, -1.1 x 10^30}\rangle$ $kg \cdot m^2/s$
+Even in the highly elliptical orbit, the comet's translational angular momentum is constant throughout the orbit, despite the fact that it's position, its momentum, and the angle between them change continuously implying that angular momentum is a conserved quantity.