Linear momentum + angular momentum = angular momentum?

Question

Imagine a bullet collides with the edge of a ball of plastcine. Is the equation above correct in handling that scenario?

Answer 1

no, because they have different units. however, the bullet also has angular momentum, if you consider it at the instant before it lodges in the plasticine. It is small enough (probably) to be considered a point mass with I= Mr^2 and you know it's (linear) velocity, so go from there.

Answer 2

The plasticine in a resultant of the momentum of the bullet which is linear and the angular momentum of its roll moves in a straight line producing linear momentum.

Answer 3

Linear momentum is a linear vector
Angular momentum is a non-linear vector.

Momentum remains conserved but some momentum may be angular and some linear. You have to work the vector side of things.

Answer 4

The sum of all the linear momentum before the collision, must equal the sum of all the linear momentum after the collision.

The sum of all the angular momentum before the collision, must equal the sum of all the angular momentum after the collision.

(period!)

This said, the final state of motion can't be determined uniquely unless either the final state of either linear or angular momentum is given/known.

Answer 5

It is a vector. The vector associated with angular momentum gives the axis of rotation and the direction of rotation around that axis (using the right-hand rule).

Answer 6

Yes, in the sense that total momentum is preserved.