We have re‐examined critical experiments on collision induced rotational transfer (RT) and conclude that the probability of RT is controlled by the factors that control the probability of angular momentum (AM) change. The probability of energy change seems less important in this respect. In the light of this we suggest a model for RT in which the probability of AM change is calculated directly and present a formalism for this purpose. We demonstrate that such a calculation leads to an exponential‐like fall of RT probabilities with transferred AM, a consequence of the radial dependence of the repulsive part of the intermolecular potential. Thus in this AM model, the exponential gap law has a simple physical origin. The AM model we describe may be used as the basis of an inversion routine through which it is possible to convert RT data into a probability density of the repulsive anisotropy. Through this model therefore it is possible to relate experimental RT data directly to the forces that are responsible for rotational transfer. The hard ellipse model is used in this work to relate calculated anisotropies to a form that includes an isotropic component. The result is a representation of the intermolecular potential through which new insights into the RT process are gained.