A merry-go-round spins freely when Janice moves quickly to the center along a radius of the merry-go-round. It is true to say that
A) the moment of inertia of the system decreases and the angular speed increases.
B) the moment of inertia of the system decreases and the angular speed decreases.
C) the moment of inertia of the system decreases and the angular speed remains the same.
D) the moment of inertia of the system increases and the angular speed increases.
E) the moment of inertia of the system increases and the angular speed decreases.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When Janice moves to the center, the distribution of mass closer to the axis of rotation decreases the moment of inertia, and due to the conservation of angular momentum, the angular speed increases.

A Merry-Go-Round Spins Freely When Janice Moves Quickly to the Center