Topic: Turning effect (Moments)

1 A uniform horizontal beam, pivoted at its right-hand end, is in equilibrium. A force of 60 N acts
vertically upwards on the beam as shown.

60 N

20cm 30cm
Pivot

Weight
of beam

What is the weight of the beam?

A 36N B 40N C 90N D 100N

2 Four table lamps are shown along with the position M of the centre of mass in each case.

Which lamp is the most stable?

A B C D

M M
M
M
3 A uniform plank is pivoted at its mid-point. Two weights are added to the plank, one weight on
each side of the pivot in the positions shown.

2.0m 2.0m 2.0m

12N 8.0N

A vertical force is applied at point X to balance the plank.

What is the size and direction of this force?

size / N direction

A 2.0 downwards
B 2.0 upwards
C 4.0 downwards
D 4.0 upwards

4 A uniform beam is pivoted at its centre. Two weights are placed on the beam in the positions
shown and the beam is balanced by an upward force F.

40cm 30cm 20cm

30 N pivot 60 N

What is the size of F?

A 6N B 12N C 30N D 60N

70cm 50cm
F
load

pivot

600 N

What is the size of force F needed just to lift the loaded wheelbarrow?

A 350N B 430N C 600N D 840N

6 A beam of length 40 cm is pivoted at one end.

The weight of the beam is 4.0 N and acts at a point 20 cm from the pivot. A 2.0 N weight hangs
10 cm from the pivot.

U
40 cm

pivot 10cm 10cm

2.0N 4.0N

An upward force U is needed to keep the beam horizontal.

What is the size of U?

A 0.5N B 1.5N C 2.5N D 6.0N

To achieve good stability, where is the centre of mass of the car?

A above the front wheels

8 A man uses clay to make a pot. He wants the pot to be as stable as possible when placed on a
flat surface.

Which two features of the pot must the man consider?

A the area of the base and the height of the centre of gravity
B the density of the clay and the area of the base
C the density of the clay and the height of the centre of gravity
D the weight and the height of the centre of gravity

9 What affects the stability of an object?

A only its base area and the location of its centre of mass
B only its weight and its base area
C only the location of its centre of mass
D only its weight
10 Which chair is the least stable if the child moves?

A B C D

11 A piece of uniform card is suspended freely from a horizontal pin.

Which point is its centre of mass?

pin

D
12 Two stretched springs X and Y are attached to one end of a metre rule as shown. A weight W is
hung from the other end. A pivot is at the centre of the rule.

fixed to ceiling

metre rule X

pivot Y
W
fixed to floor
The weight W is moved towards the pivot.

How does the extension of each spring change?

13 A beam pivoted at one end has a force of 5.0 N acting vertically upwards on it as shown. The
beam is in equilibrium.

5.0 N

2.0 cm 3.0cm

pivot

weight
of beam
What is the weight of the beam?

A 2.0N B 3.0N C 3.3N D 5.0N

Which object is the least stable?

A B C D

G
G
G G

15 The diagram shows a uniform balanced beam, pivoted about its centre.

2cm

6cm 2cm

3N 4N

What is the value of force P?

A 5N B 7N C 10N D 13N

16 The diagram shows four shapes, cut from the same piece of card.

Which shape has its centre of mass nearest to the base line?

A B C D

base line
17 Masses X and Y are placed on opposite sides of the centre of a uniform metre rule, which is
pivoted at its centre.

p s

X Y

Which combination of masses and distances balances the rule?

mass / g distance / cm
X Y p s

A 200 200 5 10
B 200 300 10 15
C 400 300 12 16
D 500 200 15 30

18 A student balances a non-uniform object on a pivot. To do this, a weight is suspended near the
left-hand end of the object.

Where is the centre of mass of the object?

object

D
A B C

weight
pivot
19 Four solid uniform cones have equal weight. They are placed on a bench as shown in the
scale diagram.

Which cone is the most stable?

A B C D