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Double pendulum angular momentum, m1 = m2 = 1 kg

Short answer

Compute position vectors from given lengths and angles, velocities via cross products ω×r, then sum m(r×v) for both masses. Angular momentum about O ≈ 3.99 k̂ kg·m²/s counter-clockwise.

A double pendulum shown in figure oscillates in the xy plane. At the instant shown ω1=2\omega_1 = 2 rad/s ccw and ω2=3\omega_2 = 3 rad/s ccw. Take a=0.5a = 0.5 m and b=0.7b = 0.7 m. What is the angular momentum (HOH_O) at this instant of m1=m2=1m_1 = m_2 = 1 kg? It is given that the lower pendulum is connected to mass mm by pin joint and is free to rotate about this point. [Figure: pendulum arm aa from O at 30∘30^\circ to the x-axis (vertical, downward) carrying m1m_1; lower arm bb carrying m2m_2 at 60∘60^\circ to the vertical; x down, y to the right.]

Take the origin at the fixed pivot OO, xx vertically downward, yy to the right and k^\hat k out of the plane (+k^+\hat k = counter-clockwise). Assume both arms lie on the same (right-hand) side of the vertical, and that ω2\omega_2 is the absolute angular velocity of the lower arm (as is usual in this problem). Angular momentum of the system about OO:

H⃗O=m1(r⃗1×v⃗1)+m2(r⃗2×v⃗2)\vec H_O = m_1(\vec r_1 \times \vec v_1) + m_2(\vec r_2 \times \vec v_2)

Position vectors

Upper arm (a=0.5a=0.5 m at 30∘30^\circ to the xx-axis), lower arm (b=0.7b=0.7 m at 60∘60^\circ to the vertical):

r⃗1=a(cos⁡30∘ i^+sin⁡30∘ j^)=(0.433 i^+0.250 j^) mr⃗2/1=b(cos⁡60∘ i^+sin⁡60∘ j^)=(0.350 i^+0.606 j^) mr⃗2=r⃗1+r⃗2/1=(0.783 i^+0.856 j^) m\begin{aligned} \vec r_1 &= a(\cos 30^\circ\,\hat i + \sin 30^\circ\,\hat j) = (0.433\,\hat i + 0.250\,\hat j)\ \text{m}\\ \vec r_{2/1} &= b(\cos 60^\circ\,\hat i + \sin 60^\circ\,\hat j) = (0.350\,\hat i + 0.606\,\hat j)\ \text{m}\\ \vec r_2 &= \vec r_1 + \vec r_{2/1} = (0.783\,\hat i + 0.856\,\hat j)\ \text{m} \end{aligned}

Velocities

v⃗1=ω1k^×r⃗1=(−0.500 i^+0.866 j^) m/sv⃗2=v⃗1+ω2k^×r⃗2/1=(−2.319 i^+1.916 j^) m/s\begin{aligned} \vec v_1 &= \omega_1\hat k \times \vec r_1 = (-0.500\,\hat i + 0.866\,\hat j)\ \text{m/s}\\ \vec v_2 &= \vec v_1 + \omega_2\hat k \times \vec r_{2/1} = (-2.319\,\hat i + 1.916\,\hat j)\ \text{m/s} \end{aligned}

Angular momentum

H1=m1(x1v1y−y1v1x)=1(0.433×0.866−0.250×−0.500)=0.50 kg m2/sH2=m2(x2v2y−y2v2x)=1(0.783×1.916−0.856×−2.319)=3.49 kg m2/s\begin{aligned} H_1 &= m_1(x_1 v_{1y} - y_1 v_{1x}) = 1(0.433\times 0.866 - 0.250\times -0.500) = 0.50\ \text{kg m}^2/\text{s}\\ H_2 &= m_2(x_2 v_{2y} - y_2 v_{2x}) = 1(0.783\times 1.916 - 0.856\times -2.319) = 3.49\ \text{kg m}^2/\text{s} \end{aligned} H⃗O=H1+H2=3.99 k^ kg m2/s\vec H_O = H_1 + H_2 = 3.99\,\hat k\ \text{kg m}^2/\text{s}

Answer: H⃗O≈3.99 k^\vec H_O \approx 3.99\,\hat k kg m²/s (counter-clockwise, about the axis perpendicular to the plane).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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