MOMENT OF A FORCE ABOUT AN AXIS

The applied force can also tend to rotate the body about
an axis in addition to motion. This rotational tendency is
known as moment.

Definition: Moment is the

tendency of a force to make a
rigid body to rotate about an
axis.

This is a vector quantity

having both magnitude
and direction.
 MOMENT OF A FORCE ABOUT AN AXIS

Moment Axis: This is the axis about which rotational

tendency is determined. It is perpendicular to the plane
comprising moment arm and line of action of the force (axis
0-0 in the figure)

Moment Center: This is

the position of axis on co-
planar system. (A).

Moment Arm:
Perpendicular distance
from the line of action of
the force to moment
center. Distance AB = d.
Magnitude of moment:

It is computed as the product of the of the force and the

perpendicular distance from the line of action of force to
the point about which moment is computed. (Moment
center).

MA = F×d

= Rotation effect because of

the force F, about the point A
(about an axis 0-0)

Unit – kN-m, N-mm etc.

 Sense of moment:
The sense is obtained by ‘Right Hand Thumb’ rule.
‘If the fingers of the right hand are curled in the direction
of rotational tendency of the body, the extended thumb
represents the sense of moment vector’.

For the purpose of additions,

the moment direction may be
considered by using a suitable
sign convention such as +ve
for counterclockwise and –ve
for clockwise rotations or vice-
versa. M
M
 Line of Action of a Force

The line of action of a force is an imaginary line of indefinite

length drawn along the direction of the force.

F2
F1 Line of
action F3
 The Moment Arm

The moment arm of a force is the perpendicular distance from

the line of action of a force to the axis of rotation.

F1 r
×
F2 r
F3
r
Example: An 80-N force acts at the end of a 12-cm
wrench as shown. Find the Moment about Point ‘O’

O O

• Extend line of action, draw, calculate r.

r = 12cm sin 600 = 10.4 cm

Mo = (80 N)×(0.104 m) = 8.31 N m

 Example:

A 100N vertical force is applied to the end of a lever at ‘A’,

which is attached to the shaft at ‘O’ as shown in the figure.

A
Determine,
1. The moment of 100N force about ‘O’.
2. Magnitude of the horizontal force applied F=100 N
at ‘A’, which develops same moment
about ‘O’. 60º
3. The smallest force at ‘A’, which develops
same effect about ‘O’. O

4. How far from the shaft a 240N vertical

force must act to develop the same effect?
 1. The moment of 100N force about ‘O’.

A
SOLUTION:

1) Perpendicular distance from the line of

F
action of force F to the moment center ‘O’
=d 60º
O
= 240 cos 60º = 120 mm. d

Moment about ‘O’ = F × d = 100 × 120

= 12,000 N-mm
(Clockwise)
2. Magnitude of the horizontal force applied at ‘A’, which develops same
moment about ‘O’.

If force F is acting horizontally then F

the perpendicular distance between the line of

action of horizontal force F at A , to moment d
center ‘O’
60º
= d = 240 sin 60º = 207.85 mm. A
O
Moment about ‘O’ = F × d
= F × 207.85
= 12,000 N-mm (Clockwise)
Therefore,
F = 12,000 / 207.85 = 57.73 N
3. The smallest force at ‘A’, which develops same effect about ‘O’.

3) Solution:
F = M/d A
Force is smallest when the perpendicular
distance is maximum so as to produce
same M. F

Maximum distance between the point, 0 60º

and the point A is 240 mm.
O
If the line of action of the force is such that
d = 240 mm
i.e., d = 240 mm.

Therefore, Fmin = 12,000/240 = 50N.

 4. How far from the shaft a 240N vertical force must act to
develop the same effect?
A

4) Solution:
Distance along x-axis, X = M/F
= 12,000/240
= 50 mm. 60º
Distance along the shaft axis F
O X
d = X/cos 60
= 50/cos 60
= 100 mm
 Varignon’s Theorem

Moment of a force at any point is equal to the sum of the

moments of the components of the force at the same point

O
Alternate: An 80-N force acts at the end of a 12-cm
wrench as shown. Find the Moment about point “O”

positive
O 12 cm

Resolve 80-N force into components as shown.

Note from figure: rx = 0 and ry = 12 cm

Mo = (69.3 N)(0.12 m) Mo = 8.31 N m as before

 VARIGNON’S THEOREM (PRINCIPLE OF MOMENTS)

Statement: The moment of a force about a moment center or

axis is equal to the algebraic sum of the moments of its
component forces about the same moment center (axis).
P
P P sinθ
θ P cosθ
θ d
d1

A d2 A

Moment of Force P about the Algebraic sum of Moments of

point A, = components of the Force P
about the point A,
Pxd
P cosθ x d1 + P sinθ x d2
 VARIGNON’S THEOREM (PRINCIPLE OF MOMENTS)

Proof (by Scalar Formulation):

Let ‘R’ be the given force.

‘P’ & ‘Q’ are component forces of ‘R’.
‘O’ is the moment center.
Y
p, r and q are moment arms from ‘O’
of P, R and Q respectively.
R
,  and  are the inclinations of ‘P’, Q
‘R’ and ‘Q’ respectively w.r.to X – q
axis. r P
 p
A 
O X
 Y
We have,
Ry = Py + Qy Ry
R Sin = P Sin + Q Sin  ----(1) Q R
From  AOB, p/AO = Sin  D
From  AOC, r/AO = Sin  Qy C
From  AOD, q/AO = Sin 
 q r
P

Py  B
From (1), p

 R ×(r/AO) = P ×(p/AO) + Q ×(q/AO)
A O X
i.e., R × r = P × p + Q × q

Moment of resultant R about O = algebraic

sum of moments of component forces P &
Q about same moment center ‘O’.
 Example : Find resultant moment about
Point A for the arrangement shown below:

30 N negative 20 N
r
300 300
6m 2m
A 4m
40 N

Find moment due to each force. Consider 20-N force first:

r = (4 m) sin 300 = 2.00 m

MA= Fr = (20 N)(2 m) = 40 N-m

The moment about A is clockwise and negative. M20 = - 40 N m

 Example 2 (Cont.): Next we find moment
due to 30-N force about A.

30 N r 20 N
Find moment due to each negative
force. Consider 30-N
300 300
force next:
6m 2m
A 4m
40 N

r = (8 m) sin 300 = 4.00 m

MA = Fr = (30 N)(4 m) = 120 N m

M30 = -120 N m
 Example (Cont.): Finally, we consider the
moment due to the 40-N force.

30 N positive 20 N
Find moment due to each
force. Consider 40-N r
300 300
force next:
6m 2m
A 4m
40 N

r = (2 m) sin 900 = 2.00 m

MA = Fr = (40 N)(2 m) = 80 N m, ccw

M40 = +80 N m
Example (Conclusion): Find resultant moment
about A for the arrangement shown below:

30 N 20 N

300 300
6m 2m
A 4m
40 N

Resultant moment is the sum of individual moments.

MR = M20 + M30 + M40 = -40N-m -120N-m + 80N-m

tR = - 80 N m Clockwise
Test 1: Determine the resultant moment of the four forces
acting on the rod about point ‘0’