<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Section summary

  • The second condition assures those torques are also balanced. Torque is the rotational equivalent of a force in producing a rotation and is defined to be
    τ = rF sin θ size 12{τ= ital "rF""sin"θ} {}

    where τ size 12{τ} {} is torque, r size 12{r} {} is the distance from the pivot point to the point where the force is applied, F size 12{F} {} is the magnitude of the force, and θ size 12{θ} {} is the angle between F size 12{F} {} and the vector directed from the point where the force acts to the pivot point. The perpendicular lever arm r size 12{r rSub { size 8{ ortho } } } {} is defined to be

    r = r sin θ size 12{r rSub { size 8{ ortho } } =r"sin"θ} {}

    so that

    τ = r F . size 12{τ=r rSub { size 8{ ortho } } F} {}
  • The perpendicular lever arm r size 12{r rSub { size 8{ ortho } } } {} is the shortest distance from the pivot point to the line along which F size 12{F} {} acts. The SI unit for torque is newton-meter (N·m) . The second condition necessary to achieve equilibrium is that the net external torque on a system must be zero:
    net τ = 0 size 12{"net "τ=0} {}

    By convention, counterclockwise torques are positive, and clockwise torques are negative.

Conceptual questions

What three factors affect the torque created by a force relative to a specific pivot point?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

A wrecking ball is being used to knock down a building. One tall unsupported concrete wall remains standing. If the wrecking ball hits the wall near the top, is the wall more likely to fall over by rotating at its base or by falling straight down? Explain your answer. How is it most likely to fall if it is struck with the same force at its base? Note that this depends on how firmly the wall is attached at its base.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Mechanics sometimes put a length of pipe over the handle of a wrench when trying to remove a very tight bolt. How does this help? (It is also hazardous since it can break the bolt.)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Problems&Exercises

(a) When opening a door, you push on it perpendicularly with a force of 55.0 N at a distance of 0.850m from the hinges. What torque are you exerting relative to the hinges? (b) Does it matter if you push at the same height as the hinges?

a) 46.8 N·m

b) It does not matter at what height you push. The torque depends on only the magnitude of the force applied and the perpendicular distance of the force's application from the hinges. (Children don't have a tougher time opening a door because they push lower than adults, they have a tougher time because they don't push far enough from the hinges.)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

When tightening a bolt, you push perpendicularly on a wrench with a force of 165 N at a distance of 0.140 m from the center of the bolt. (a) How much torque are you exerting in newton × meters (relative to the center of the bolt)? (b) Convert this torque to footpounds.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Two children push on opposite sides of a door during play. Both push horizontally and perpendicular to the door. One child pushes with a force of 17.5 N at a distance of 0.600 m from the hinges, and the second child pushes at a distance of 0.450 m. What force must the second child exert to keep the door from moving? Assume friction is negligible.

23.3 N

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Use the second condition for equilibrium (net τ = 0) to calculate F p in [link] , employing any data given or solved for in part (a) of the example.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Repeat the seesaw problem in [link] with the center of mass of the seesaw 0.160 m to the left of the pivot (on the side of the lighter child) and assuming a mass of 12.0 kg for the seesaw. The other data given in the example remain unchanged. Explicitly show how you follow the steps in the Problem-Solving Strategy for static equilibrium.

Given:

m 1 = 26.0 kg, m 2 = 32.0 kg, m s = 12.0 kg, r 1 = 1.60 m, r s = 0.160 m, find (a) r 2 , (b) F p

a) Since children are balancing:

net τ cw = net τ ccw w 1 r 1 + m s gr s = w 2 r 2 alignl { stack { size 12{"net "τ rSub { size 8{"cw"} } =" net "τ rSub { size 8{"ccw"} } } {} #drarrow w rSub { size 8{1} } r rSub { size 8{1} } +m rSub { size 8{s} } ital "gr" rSub { size 8{s} } =w rSub { size 8{2} } r rSub { size 8{2} } {} # {}} } {}

So, solving for r 2 size 12{r rSub { size 8{2} } } {} gives:

r 2 = w 1 r 1 + m s gr s w 2 = m 1 gr 1 + m s gr s m 2 g = m 1 r 1 + m s r s m 2 = ( 26.0 kg ) ( 1.60 m ) + ( 12.0 kg ) ( 0.160 m ) 32.0 kg = 1.36 m

b) Since the children are not moving:

net F = 0 = F p w 1 w 2 w s F p = w 1 + w 2 + w s alignl { stack { size 12{"net "F=0=F rSub { size 8{p} } - w rSub { size 8{1} } - w rSub { size 8{2} } - w rSub { size 8{s} } } {} #drarrow F rSub { size 8{p} } =w rSub { size 8{1} } +w rSub { size 8{2} } +w rSub { size 8{3} } {} } } {}

So that

F p = ( 26.0 kg + 32.0 kg + 12.0 kg ) ( 9.80 m / s 2 ) = 686 N alignl { stack { size 12{F rSub { size 8{p} } = left ("26" cdot 0" kg "+" 32" cdot "0 kg "+"12" cdot "0 kg" right ) left (9 cdot "8 " {m} slash {s rSup { size 8{2} } } right )} {} #= {underline {"686"" N"}} {} } } {}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Test prep for ap courses

Which of the following is not an example of an object undergoing a torque?

  1. A car is rounding a bend at a constant speed.
  2. A merry-go-round increases from rest to a constant rotational speed.
  3. A pendulum swings back and forth.
  4. A bowling ball rolls down a bowling alley.

(a)

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Five forces of equal magnitude, labeled A E , are applied to the object shown below. If the object is anchored at point P , which force will provide the greatest torque?

The diagram shows a gray that is a rounded shape of a shoe. Slightly to the right of center is a black dot labeled P. There are 5 red arrows nearly perpendicular to the curved line representing the edge of the object. Arrow A is pointing straight down toward where the line curves around the top. Arrow B is a horizontal line pointing away from the object as the edge curves slightly in an almost vertical line. Arrow C is pointing directly below the P from the edge down. At this point the object begins to curve up from the horizontal. Arrow D is pointing toward straight up toward the object's edge where the object is curving upward more than point C. Arrow E is pointing toward the left edge at around a 45 degree angle toward the object and is approximately perpendicular to the object again.
Five forces acting on an object.
  1. Force A
  2. Force B
  3. Force C
  4. Force D
  5. Force E
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Questions & Answers

Ayele, K., 2003. Introductory Economics, 3rd ed., Addis Ababa.
Widad Reply
can you send the book attached ?
Ariel
?
Ariel
What is economics
Widad Reply
the study of how humans make choices under conditions of scarcity
AI-Robot
U(x,y) = (x×y)1/2 find mu of x for y
Desalegn Reply
U(x,y) = (x×y)1/2 find mu of x for y
Desalegn
what is ecnomics
Jan Reply
this is the study of how the society manages it's scarce resources
Belonwu
what is macroeconomic
John Reply
macroeconomic is the branch of economics which studies actions, scale, activities and behaviour of the aggregate economy as a whole.
husaini
etc
husaini
difference between firm and industry
husaini Reply
what's the difference between a firm and an industry
Abdul
firm is the unit which transform inputs to output where as industry contain combination of firms with similar production 😅😅
Abdulraufu
Suppose the demand function that a firm faces shifted from Qd  120 3P to Qd  90  3P and the supply function has shifted from QS  20  2P to QS 10  2P . a) Find the effect of this change on price and quantity. b) Which of the changes in demand and supply is higher?
Toofiq Reply
explain standard reason why economic is a science
innocent Reply
factors influencing supply
Petrus Reply
what is economic.
Milan Reply
scares means__________________ends resources. unlimited
Jan
economics is a science that studies human behaviour as a relationship b/w ends and scares means which have alternative uses
Jan
calculate the profit maximizing for demand and supply
Zarshad Reply
Why qualify 28 supplies
Milan
what are explicit costs
Nomsa Reply
out-of-pocket costs for a firm, for example, payments for wages and salaries, rent, or materials
AI-Robot
concepts of supply in microeconomics
David Reply
economic overview notes
Amahle Reply
identify a demand and a supply curve
Salome Reply
i don't know
Parul
there's a difference
Aryan
Demand curve shows that how supply and others conditions affect on demand of a particular thing and what percent demand increase whith increase of supply of goods
Israr
Hi Sir please how do u calculate Cross elastic demand and income elastic demand?
Abari
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply
Practice Key Terms 4

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, College physics for ap® courses. OpenStax CNX. Nov 04, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11844/1.14
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'College physics for ap® courses' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask