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Related Concept Videos

Angular Momentum01:21

Angular Momentum

Angular momentum characterizes an object's rotational motion and is defined as the moment of its linear momentum about a specified point O. When a particle moves along a curved path in the x-y plane, the scalar formulation calculates the magnitude of its angular momentum, utilizing the moment arm (d), representing the perpendicular distance from point O to the line of action of the linear momentum. Despite being scalar in formulation, angular momentum is inherently a vector quantity. Its...
Angular Momentum and Principle Axes of Inertia01:09

Angular Momentum and Principle Axes of Inertia

The concept of angular momentum for a solid structure is illustrated as the cumulative result of the cross-product of the position vector of the mass element and the cross-product of the body's angular velocity with the position vector.
To put this equation into simpler terms, it can be reconfigured using rectangular coordinates. This involves choosing an alternative set of XYZ axes that are arbitrarily inclined with respect to the reference frame. The process of deriving the rectangular...
Angular Momentum about an Arbitrary Axis01:11

Angular Momentum about an Arbitrary Axis

Imagine a rigid body with a mass denoted as 'm', which has its center of mass at point G and is rotating around an inertial reference frame. The angular momentum at an arbitrary point P can be calculated by taking the cross product of the position vector and linear momentum vector for each individual mass element.
The velocity of a mass element comprises its translational velocity and the relative velocity instigated by the body's rotation. Substituting the velocity equation into the angular...
Principle of Angular Impulse and Momentum01:23

Principle of Angular Impulse and Momentum

The angular impulse and momentum principle provides insights into how forces applied at a distance from an object's rotational axis influence its angular velocity. It builds upon the crucial relationship between the moment of force and angular momentum. By integrating this equation, substituting the limits for the initial and final times, a comprehensive expression representing the angular impulse and momentum principle is derived.
Angular Momentum: Single Particle01:10

Angular Momentum: Single Particle

Angular momentum is directed perpendicular to the plane of the rotation, and its magnitude depends on the choice of the origin. The perpendicular vector joining the linear momentum vector of an object to the origin is called the “lever arm.” If the lever arm and linear momentum are collinear, then the magnitude of the angular momentum is zero. Therefore, in this case, the object rotates about the origin such that it lies on the rim of the circumference defined by the lever arm magnitude.
The...
Angular Momentum: Rigid Body01:11

Angular Momentum: Rigid Body

The total angular momentum of a rigid body can be calculated using the summation of the angular momentum of all the tiny particles rotating in the same plane. Considering all the tiny particles rotating in the x-y plane, the direction of angular momentum of all such particles and that of the rigid body would be perpendicular to the plane of the rotation along the z-axis.
This calculation can get complicated when tiny particles within the rigid body are not rotating in the same plane but have...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
08:12

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

Angular momentum in human walking.

Hugh Herr1, Marko Popovic

  • 1The MIT Media Laboratory, 20 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. hherr@media.mit.edu

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|February 5, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Human walking highly regulates angular momentum, allowing ground forces to be predicted by assuming zero net moment about the center of mass (CM). Segmental movements cancel out to maintain this stability.

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Human locomotion
  • Robotics

Background:

  • Angular momentum is conserved in isolated systems but challenged during legged locomotion due to environmental interactions.
  • Understanding angular momentum regulation is crucial for explaining ground reaction forces and gait stability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that angular momentum is tightly regulated during walking.
  • To determine if a zero-net-moment assumption can predict ground reaction forces and center of pressure trajectories.
  • To analyze segmental contributions to whole-body angular momentum regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 16-segment human model and gait data from 10 participants.
  • Calculated forces based on a zero-net-moment assumption about the center of mass (CM).

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  • Employed principal component analysis to examine segmental angular momentum contributions.

    • Main Results:

    • Calculated zero-moment forces closely matched experimental values (R²=0.91 for x, R²=0.90 for y).
    • The centroidal moment pivot remained within the ground support base throughout the gait cycle.
    • Whole-body angular momentum was minimal due to significant segment-to-segment cancellations (approx. 95% medio-lateral, 70% anterior-posterior, 80% vertical).

    Conclusions:

    • Human walking demonstrates remarkable regulation of angular momentum across all three planes.
    • The zero-net-moment assumption provides a valid framework for analyzing horizontal ground reaction forces in walking.
    • Segmental angular momenta largely cancel each other out, enabling the maintenance of stable, whole-body angular momentum during locomotion.