Question

How does angular momentum differ from linear momentum.

Answer 1

Hint: Momentum is also called translational momentum or linear momentum and is defined as the product of the mass of the particle and its velocity.

Complete answer:
Momentum is also defined as the mass in motion. It is a vector quantity and has both magnitude and direction. If the object’s velocity changes, the momentum also changes. It is the inertia of translation motion. It depends on the frame of reference and is a conserved quantity which indicates that in a closed system, the momentum is not affected by the external forces and thus the total linear momentum also does not change.
Jean Buridan who is the discoverer of momentum also discovered angular momentum.
Angular momentum is defined as the measure of the rotational momentum of the rotating body which is equal to the product of the angular velocity of the system and the moment of the inertia to the axis. Angular momentum is a vector quantity and has both magnitude and direction. It is the inertia of rotation motion.
As the mass increases, the angular momentum also increases. Hence we can say that the mass will be directly proportional to the angular momentum. Angular momentum also depends on the rotational velocity and the rotational inertia. Whenever the object changes its shape, the angular velocity changes, and thus the angular momentum also changes. Angular momentum is also a conserved quantity.

Note: The major difference between the two is the type of motion only. Also, the linear momentum and the angular momentum both are separate from each other and they cannot be converted one to the other.