If all the kids on the merry-go-round are clustered around its center while it is spinning at a constant angular velocity, then if all the kids were to “cautiously” move away from its pivot to the outer edges (while still spinning), would that cause the merry-go-round to slow down faster than if they had remained in the center?
Yes. When the kids move away from the center, the merry-go-round will slow down. If they then return to the center, the merry-go-round will speed up!