key term - Conservation of Angular Momentum

Definition

The conservation of angular momentum states that the total angular momentum of a system remains constant if no external torques act on it. In other words, the rotational motion of an object will not change unless an external torque is applied.

Related terms

Angular momentum: Angular momentum is a measure of how fast an object is rotating and how spread out its mass is from the axis of rotation.

Moment of inertia: Moment of inertia refers to an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion and depends on both the mass distribution and shape of the object.

Torque:

Torque is a measure of how effectively a force can cause an object to rotate and is equal to the product of force and lever arm distance.