Challenges Teaching Units of Measure for Torque and Angular Momentum Solved by Scaling to Center-of-Mass and Center-of-Halfs

ORAL

Abstract

Teaching units of measure is critical to physics education. However, the most challenging concept for units of measure is a) angular momentum, and b) torque which are two very different physics concepts. How can students understand linear force versus torque?

However, if taught as a) scaling to the center-of-gravity (-mass) for the structure as two halves; and b) including the inertial-mass concept as updated here, then the units of measure become standardized:

  • Torque becomes the force concept applied at the scaled arm distance (d/dCOG).

    Angular momentum becomes the velocity concept applied at the scaled-arm distance (d/dCOG).


A major change in teaching the makes the concept replacing torque as units-of-measure of force, and angular momentum as velocity, so mapping to the linear concepts already taught.

Presenters

  • Arno Vigen

    Independent Researcher

Authors

  • Arno Vigen

    Independent Researcher