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Topic 5 - Moment

The document discusses topics related to moments including: the definition of a moment as a turning effect of a force about a pivot; the equation for calculating moment; examples of moments causing rotation; the principle of moments stating that the total clockwise moment equals the total anticlockwise moment for a balanced object; and concepts related to supporting beams and finding the center of gravity.

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7 views

Topic 5 - Moment

The document discusses topics related to moments including: the definition of a moment as a turning effect of a force about a pivot; the equation for calculating moment; examples of moments causing rotation; the principle of moments stating that the total clockwise moment equals the total anticlockwise moment for a balanced object; and concepts related to supporting beams and finding the center of gravity.

Uploaded by

tasfia2829
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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‭Topic 5: Moment‬

‭●‬ A ‭ s well as causing objects to speed up, slow down, change direction and deform,‬‭forces‬
‭can also cause objects to rotate‬
‭●‬ ‭An example of a rotation caused by a force is on one side of a pivot (a fixed point that the‬
‭object can rotate around)‬
‭○‬ ‭This rotation can be‬‭clockwise or anticlockwise‬

‭ he force will cause the object to rotate‬


T
‭clockwise about the pivot‬

‭Definition:‬‭A moment is defined as the turning effect of a force about a pivot‬

‭●‬ ‭The size of a moment is defined by the equation: (formula for math)‬

‭M‬‭=‬‭F‬‭×‬‭d‬

‭●‬ ‭Where:‬
‭○‬ ‭M‬‭= moment in newton metres (Nm)‬
‭○‬ ‭F‬‭= force in newtons (N)‬
‭○‬ ‭d‬‭= perpendicular distance of the force to the pivot in metres (m)‬

‭ he moment depends on the force and‬


T
‭perpendicular distance to the pivot‬

‭ his is why, for‬‭example,‬‭the door‬


T
‭handle is placed on the opposite side‬
‭to the hinge.‬

‭ his means for a given force, the‬


T
‭perpendicular distance from the pivot‬
‭(the hinge) is larger. This creates a‬
‭larger moment (turning effect) to‬
‭make it easier to open the door.‬
‭ pening a door with a handle close to the pivot would be much harder, and would require a lot‬
O
‭more force‬

‭Exam Tip‬
‭ he unit of a moment is Newton metres (N m), but can also be Newton centimetres (N cm) ie.‬
T
‭where the distance is measured in cm insteadIf the exam question doesn't ask for a specific unit,‬
‭always convert the distance into metres‬

‭The Principle of Moments‬


‭●‬ ‭The principle of moments states that:‬

I‭ f an object is balanced, the total clockwise moment about a pivot equals the total anticlockwise‬
‭moment about that pivot‬

‭‬ R
● ‭ emember that the moment = force × distance from a pivot‬
‭●‬ ‭The forces should be perpendicular to the distance from the pivot‬
‭○‬ ‭For example, on a horizontal beam, the forces which will cause a moment are‬
‭those directed upwards or downwards‬

‭Moments on a balanced beam‬

‭●‬ ‭In the above diagram:‬


‭○‬ ‭Force‬‭F2‬‭is‬
‭supplying a clockwise‬
‭moment;‬
‭○‬ ‭Forces‬‭F1‬‭and‬
‭F3‬‭are supplying anticlockwise‬
‭moments‬
‭●‬ ‭Due to the principle of‬
‭moments,‬‭if the beam is‬
‭balanced‬

‭Total clockwise moments = Total anticlockwise moments‬

‭●‬ ‭Hence:‬

‭F2 × d2 =‬‭(‭F
‬ 1 × d1‬‭)‬‭+‬‭(‭F
‬ 3 × d3‬‭)‬
‭Worked example‬
‭ parent and child are at opposite ends of a playground see-saw. The parent weighs 690 N and‬
A
‭the child weighs 140 N. The adult sits 0.3 m from the pivot.‬

‭ alculate the distance the child must sit from the pivot for the see-saw to be balanced.‬
C
‭Step 1: List the know quantities‬

‭‬ C
○ ‭ lockwise force (child),‬‭F‬‭child = 140 N‬
‭○‬ ‭Anticlockwise force (adult),‬‭F‬‭adult = 690 N‬
‭○‬ ‭Distance of adult from the pivot,‬‭d‬‭adult = 0.3 m‬

‭Step 2: Write down the relevant equation‬

‭Moment = force × distance from pivot‬

‭○‬ ‭For the see-saw to‬‭balance,‬‭the principle of moments states that‬

‭Total clockwise moments = Total anticlockwise moments‬

‭Step 3: Calculate the‬‭total clockwise moments‬

‭○‬ ‭The clockwise moment is from the child‬

‭Moment child =‬‭F‬‭child ×‬‭d‬‭child = 140 × dchild‬

‭Step 4: Calculate the‬‭total anticlockwise moments‬

‭○‬ ‭The anticlockwise moment is from the adult‬

‭Moment adult =‬‭F‭a‬ dult ×‬‭d‬‭adult = 690 × 0.3 = 207 Nm‬

‭Step 5: Substitute into the principle of moments equation‬

‭140 × dchild = 207‬

‭dchild = 207 ÷ 140 = 1.48 m‬


‭ lockwise is defined as the direction the hands of a clock move (and anticlockwise as the‬
C
‭opposite)‬

‭Supporting a Beam‬
‭‬ A
● ‭ light beam is one that can be treated as though it has no mass‬
‭●‬ ‭The supports, therefore, must supply upwards forces that balance the weight of any object‬
‭placed on the beam‬

‭F1 and F2 upwards balance the weight of the beam downwards‬

‭●‬ A
‭ s the mass in the above diagram is moved from the left-hand side to the right-hand side‬
‭of the beam, force‬‭F1‬‭will decrease and force‬‭F2‬‭will increase‬

‭F1 decreases F2 increases keep the beam balanced‬


‭●‬ ‭Consider what would happen to the beam if the right-hand support was removed:‬
‭○‬ ‭Force‬‭F2‬‭would be 0‬
‭○‬ ‭The weight of the object would supply a moment about the left-hand support,‬
‭causing the beam to pivot in a clockwise direction‬

‭ hen F2 is removed the beam will rotate by‬


W
‭the clockwise moment‬

‭ ‬ ‭Therefore, the force‬‭F2‬‭must‬


●
‭therefore supply an anticlockwise moment about the left-hand support, which balances‬
‭the moment supplied by the object‬

‭Centre of Gravity‬
‭●‬ ‭The center of gravity of an object (sometimes called the center of mass) is‬‭defined as:‬

‭The point through which the weight of an object acts‬

‭●‬ F
‭ or a‬‭symmetrical object‬‭of uniform density, the centre of gravity is located at the‬‭point‬
‭of symmetry‬
‭○‬ ‭For example, the centre of gravity of a sphere is at the centre‬

‭The centre of gravity of a regular shape‬


‭can be found by symmetry‬

‭ ‬ ‭The centre of gravity of an irregular‬


●
‭object can be found by locating its balance‬
‭point‬
‭○‬ ‭A broomstick has a centre‬
‭of gravity slightly closer to the head of the‬
‭broom since there is more mass located‬
‭there‬

‭The centre of mass of a broomstick which is‬


‭also its balance point‬

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