3.10  Angular momentum. 

 For a single particle, the angular momentum vector is defined by

where r is the radius vector and p  is the momentum. If the velocity is perpendicular to the radius vector, then

One can see that for momentum to be conserved that , keeping the mass the same, if the radius were decreased then the velocity will increase.

Enjoy one of the two following applets to show that when the radius is increased then velocity decreases.

 

Try the applet from NASA

or

Try the other applet