ˈiːvən ɪf ˈæŋɡjʊlɚ moʊmˈɛntəm ɪz kənsˈɜːvd nˈoʊ ɛkstˈɜːnəl tˈoːɹks, ɪntˈɜːnəl ˈɛnɚdʒi kæn biː dˈɪsᵻpˌeɪɾᵻd dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ɹoʊtˈeɪʃən ɪf ðə bˈɑːdi ɪz nˌɑːt pˈɜːfɛktli ɹˈɪdʒɪd, ænd ˌɛni ɹoʊtˈeɪɾɪŋ bˈɑːdi wɪl kəntˈɪnjuː tə tʃˈeɪndʒ ɪts ˌoːɹiəntˈeɪʃən ʌntˈɪl ɪt hɐz stˈeɪbɪlˌaɪzd ɚɹˈaʊnd ɪts ˈæksɪs ʌv mˈæksɪməm ɪnˈɜːʃə, wˌɛɹ ðɪ ɐmˈaʊnt ʌv ˈɛnɚdʒi kˌɔːɹɪspˈɑːndɪŋ tʊ ɪts ˈæŋɡjʊlɚ moʊmˈɛntəm ɪz lˈiːst.
Even if angular momentum is conserved (no external torques), internal energy can be dissipated during rotation if the body is not perfectly rigid, and any rotating body will continue to change its orientation until it has stabilized around its axis of maximum inertia, where the amount of energy corresponding to its angular momentum is least.