Question

Please explain why a tightrope walker always holds a bar in his/her hands during tightrope walking by using the principle of conservation of angular momentum.

Answer 1

By carrying a bar (it's called a balancing pole, more specifically) horizontally in their hands, the tightrope walker increases his moment of inertia, i.e., he minimizes his body's “rotation” around the rope.

An increased moment of inertia helps withstand external sources of torque, such as sudden gusts of wind. The heavy weights allow the tightrope walker to exert torque by simply rotating the pole slightly, which moves his/her center of mass the other way, helping recenter him- or herself directly over the tightrope.