Torque, Rotational Equilibrium and Center of Gravity

Gwyneth Marie Dayagan

STEM Track – Senior High School Department, University of San Carlos
gwynethdayagan@gmail.com

Abstract
This paper aims to explain the concepts of torque, rotational equilibrium and center of mass/gravity.
Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum or pivot. If the object is
first balanced to find its center of mass, then the entire weight of the object can be considered to act
at the center of mass. In the experiment, results indicated that the lower the area of the mass
concentration in the wooden block, the higher the tipping angle was. Rotational equilibrium is when
the net torque acting on a system is zero. This was done using a meter stick with masses suspended in
various position. The torques are all the same even if they have different masses of loads. This was
because the loads were spread out to different points of the meter stick which levels out and balances
the meter stick.

I. Introduction

A torque is produced about an origin when a force acts at a point

of a body in a direction other than the direction of the origin from
this point. Torques tend to make a body rotate about an axis. Those
torques that rotate a body in a clockwise direction are called
clockwise and are usually described by negative numbers. Those
that rotate a body in a counterclockwise direction are called
counterclockwise and are usually described by positive numbers. Figure 1 Torque about an origin
generated by a force

The torque generated by a force F acting at a point which is a

distance, d, from the origin is defined as
  Fperp d (1)
Fperp is the component of the force perpendicular to the line from
the origin to the point of action of the force and therefore is given
by Fperp = F sin 2. In figure 1 2 is the angle between this line and
the direction of the force. The distance d is called the length of the
lever arm. If a body is in rotational equilibrium the net torque Figure 2 Generation of a
counterclockwise torque
acting on it must be zero. [1,3]

Torque can be either static or dynamic. A static torque is one which does not produce an angular
acceleration. Someone pushing on a closed door is applying a static torque to the door because the
door is not rotating about its hinges, despite the force applied. Someone pedaling a bicycle at constant
speed is also applying a static torque because they are not accelerating. The drive shaft in a racing car
accelerating from the start line is carrying a dynamic torque because it must be producing an angular
acceleration of the wheels given that the car is accelerating along the track. [4]

The following conditions must be met to be in equilibrium:

1. The vector sum of all forces acting on it must be zero. Translational equilibrium: ∑F=0.
 2. The vector sum of all the torques due to the forces acting on an object must be zero. Rotational
equilibrium: ∑F=0. [2]
This experiment aims to locate the center of gravity of different shapes, to determine the different
tipping angles of an object by varying its mass distribution, to compute the torques caused by the forces
acting on an object, to determine the net torque on objects that are in rotational equilibrium and to
determine the value of an unknown mass using rotational equilibrium method.
II. Methodology
Part A. In this experiment, the center of gravity of the flat objects of different shapes was determined
using plumb bob method. The object was balanced by hanging the object from any point and a weighted
string was dropped from the same point. Lines were drawn on the object along the string starting with
different points. The point where the lines intersected was the center of gravity.
Part B. In determining the tipping angle, a block was placed on a wooden plank. Two 50g masses were
placed in the first row slots of the block and the wooden plank was slowly raised until the block falls.
Steps were repeated but this time, the two 50g masses were transferred from the first row slots to the
other until it reaches the last row. The angles were measured using a protractor and were recorded.

Part 1C. For the axis of rotation (pivot point) at the center of the object, the set-up was assembled as
depicted in the manual. The meterstick, with a pivot point of 50-cm mark, was balanced on the set-up.
Masking tape was placed at the tip of the meter stick as counterweight to have it balanced. The mass of
the meter stick was measured using a digital balance and was recorded on the worksheet provided in the
manual. A 40g load was first placed at the 40-cm mark and an 80g mass, where its position was adjusted
so that the set-up would be balance, was used as the counterweight. The 40g load was transferred to the
30-cm mark, 20-cm mark and 10-cm mark where the 80g load was still adjusted to its new position to
maintain the balance. Lever arms were measured, recorded and were used to calculate for the torque.

Part 2C. For the axis of rotation (pivot) away from the center of the object, the same set-up in part 1C
was used but only one side of the meter stick was mounted with loads of different masses. 40-cm mark
was used as the pivot point. The masses used to balance the meter stick were 40g, 80g, 130g and 180g
loads. The corresponding lever arm was measured, recorded and was used in calculating the torque.

Part 3C. Unknown mass was determined. With the meter stick pivoting at the 40-cm mark, the unknown
mass was hanged on the meter stick for it to balance. Lever arm was measured and recorded where it
was used to determine the value of the unknown mass.

III. Results and Discussions

 Tipping angle
The results indicated that as its mass distribution changes, the tipping angle of the wooden block
increases. The lower the area of the mass concentration in the wooden block, the higher the tipping angle
was.
Row # Tipping angle
0 (no added mass) 19°
1 21°
2 24°
3 27°
4 35°
  Axis of rotation (pivot point) at the center of the object

The weight of the meter stick was determined by using the formula W=mg, where m is the mass and g
is the gravity which is 9.8m/𝑠 2 . The torque due to the weight of the meter stick was not included because
it acts through its center of gravity which was at pivot and is only a single force. We do not consider
torque due to a single force but instead, give emphasis on the net torque due to several forces. The net
torque of the system is zero.
𝝉𝒏𝒆𝒕 = 𝑭𝟏 𝒍𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 𝒍𝟐 + 𝑭𝟑 𝒍𝟑 … + 𝑭𝒏 𝒍𝒏

𝒎𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 = 0.11804g 𝒘𝟒𝟎𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 = 0.392 N

𝒘𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 = 1.2N 𝒘𝟖𝟎𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 = 0.784 N

Position of the ɭ+ 𝝉+ ɭ− 𝝉−
40g load (m) (Nm) (m) (Nm)
40-cm mark +0.10 m +0.039 Nm -0.05 m -0.039 Nm
30-cm mark +0.20 m +0.078 Nm -0.10 m -0.078 Nm
20-cm mark +0.30 m +0.120 Nm -0.15 m -0.120 Nm
10-cm mark +0.40 m +0.160 Nm -0.20 m -0.160 Nm

 Axis of rotation (pivot) away from the center of the object

In the results, the torques are all the same even if they have different masses of loads. This was
because the loads were spread out to different points of the meter stick which levels out and balances
the meter stick. The following formulas were used:
𝝉
W=mg , l= , 𝝉 = 𝑭𝒍
𝑭

𝒎𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 = 0.11804g ɭ− = 0.083 m

𝒘𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 = 1.2N 𝝉− = -0.10 Nm

Load Mass Weight ɭ+ 𝝉+

(kg) (N) (m) (Nm)
40g 0.040 kg 0.39 N +0.26 m +0.10 m
80g 0.080 kg 0.78 N +0.13 m +0.10 m
130g 0.130 kg 1.3 N +0.077 m +0.10 m
180g 0.180 kg 1.8 N +0.056 m +0.10 m

 Determining the unknown mass

The formulas used:
𝝉
m = 𝒈𝒍 , where 𝝉 is the torque, g is the gravity and l is the lever arm , W=mg

𝒎𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 = 0.11804g 𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 = 0.33 kg

𝒘𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 = 1.2N 𝒘𝒖𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 = 3.23 N
ɭ− = 0.083 m ɭ+ = 0.250 m
𝝉− = 0.100 Nm 𝝉+ = -0.100 Nm
IV. Conclusions
Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. The magnitude of
torque depends on three quantities: the force applied, the length of the lever arm connecting the axis to
the point of force application, and the angle between the force vector and the lever arm. Based on the
data acquired, as its mass distribution changes, the tipping angle of the wooden block increases. The
lower the area of the mass concentration in the wooden block, the higher the tipping angle was. The
center of mass is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to
zero. If the object is first balanced to find its center of mass, then the entire weight of the object can be
considered to act at that center of mass. The torques are all the same even if they have different masses
of loads. This was because the loads were spread out to different points of the meter stick which levels
out and balances the meter stick. If the object is then shifted a measured distance away from the
center of mass and again balanced by hanging a known mass on the other side of the pivot point, the
unknown mass of the object can be determined by balancing the torques. The objectives stated in the
introduction were achieved. However, even if calculating the errors were skipped, the data may still be
considered accurate at its current state.

V. References

1. Schicker, R., & Wegener, G. (2002). Measuring torque correctly. Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik
GmbH.
2. Garshelis, I. J. (2002). 19.4 Torque and Power Measurement. The Mechatronics Handbook, -2
Volume Set, 19, 48.
3. Jones, A. (2018). Twist It: The Meaning of Torque in Physics. [online] ThoughtCo. Available at:
https://www.thoughtco.com/torque-2699016 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2018].
4. Hong, Z. (2018). Lab 11: Balanced Torques and Center of Gravity. [online]
Physics4azhong.blogspot.com. Available at: http://physics4azhong.blogspot.com/2012/11/lab-11-
balanced-torques-and-center-of.html [Accessed 20 Oct. 2018].