A REPORT

APPLIED MECHANICS PRACTICAL (GET 221)

EXPERIMENT NUMBER: 2

NAME: NZURUMIKE CHIDUBEM AUGUSTINE

REG NUMBER: 20220718

DEPARTMENT: ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

SUBMITTED TO

INSTRUCTOR NAME: ENGR. DAKUT YERIMA

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DATE: 22ND NOVEMBER, 2022

 APPLIEDMECHANICS LABORATORY MANUAL DATE: 22-11-2022

EXPERIMENT NO: 2

TITLE: To verify the principle of moments using bell crank lever.

THINGS REQUIRED:
1. Bell-Crank Lever Apparatus

2. Weights

3. Cotton Thread
4. Meter Scale

APPARATUS:
The apparatus consists of a L shaped BELL crank lever which is bolted at the junction P at a
fulcrum,weight,hanger,screw.
THEORY:
Principle of moments
The Principle of Moments states that when a body is balanced, the total clockwise moment
about a point equals the total anticlockwise moment about the same point.. This principle would
be verified for a bell crank lever arrangement. A lever whose two arms form a right angle, or
nearly a right angle and having its fulcrum at the apex of the angle is referred to as a bell crank
lever. These levers were originally used to operate the bell from a long distance especially where
change in direction of bell wires was involved and hence the name. Now bell crank levers are
used in machines to convert the direction of reciprocation movement
Consider an ideal lever, as given in the figure below. An ideal lever is nothing but a light rod
(ideally negligible mass) that is pivoted at a point along its length. This point is called a fulcrum.
A see-saw for children playing in the parks is an example of a lever system. The figure below
shows two forces F1 and F2 acting on the lever. The pivot point of the lever is at a distance of
d1 and d2 from the forces F1 and F2 respectively. 

Assuming that the lever system is in equilibrium. Let R denote the reaction on body, the suppose
at pivot point; R is directed opposite to the forces F1 and F2. Since the body is in both rotational
and translation equilibrium, 
R – F1 – F2 = 0  …. (1)
d1F1 – d2F2= 0  …. (2)
anti-clockwise moments are taken as negative.
Equation (2) can be re-written as, d1F1 = d2F2
PROCEDURE:
1. When no weights is suspended from any hole of the lever arm, note the initial spring balance
reading after adjusting the lever arm in such a manner with the help of the screw (S) provided
at the end of the chain so that the lower end of the lever just touches the knob at the base of the
apparatus. This reading is due to unequal weights of the two parts of the lever and is to be
adjusted in the observations.
2. Pass thread through one hole and suspend a weight (w) from the thread, this part of the lever
will be lowered and the contact of the knob with the lower end of the other part of the lever
will be disturbed. With the help of the screw, establish the contact again, so that the lever just
touches knob and does not press it.
3. Note the spring balance reading find the distance (d) of the hole (from which weight is
suspended) from the fulcrum.
4. Adjust the initial reading in the spring balance reading let it be T. Now verify that moment of
the weight about the fulcrum (i.e. w x d) is equal the moment of the tension about the fulcrum
(i.e. T x P).
5. Suspend a different weight from the next hole and proceed as before. Take in this way about
seven or eight reading.
6. Calculate the % age error between the two moments.
OBSERVATIONS:
Initial reading of spring balance = 0.7KG = 7N
Spring Balance Capacity: 10 kg
Perpendicular distance ‘P’ from the fulcrum = 20.1cm = 0.201m

OBSERVATION TABLE:
Spring Balance Reading,
T(N)
Weight Distance of
Suspended Difference Holes
Initial Final
W(N) Between (d)m
(T1) (T2)
(T2-T1)(N)
S/n
1. 2N 7N 8N 1N 0.15m

2. 4N 7N 11N 4N 0.20m

3. 6N 8N 15N 7N 0.25m

4. 8N 8N 20N 12N 0.30m

5. 10N 8N 25N 17N 0.35m

CALCULATION:
Horizontal. Percentage
Vertical Beam
Beam Distance Error Between
Distance (P) x
(d) x Applied The Two
S/n Spring Balance (T) Weight (W) Moments
(A) (B) B-A X 100
(P x T) Nm (W x d) Nm B
1. 0.201Nm 0.30Nm 33%

2. 0.804Nm 0.80Nm -0.5%

3. 1.407Nm 1.5Nm 6.2%

4. 2.412Nm 2.4Nm -0.5%

5. 3.417Nm 3.5Nm 2.37%

CALCULATION:
Vertical beam :
1. 0.201 * 1 = 0.201Nm
2. 0.201* 4 = 0.804Nm
3. 0.201* 7 = 1.407Nm
4. 0.201* 12 = 2.412Nm
5. 0.201* 17 = 3.417Nm
Horizontal beam:
1. 2 * 0.15 = 0.30Nm
2. 4 * 0.20 = 0.80Nm
3. 6 * 0.25 = 1.5Nm
4. 8 * 0.30 = 2.4Nm
5. 10 * 0.35 = 3.5Nm
Two moment error:
0.30−0.201
1. * 100 = 33%
0.30
0.80−0.804
2. * 100 = -0.5%
0.80
1.5−1.407
3. * 100 = 6.2%
1.5
2.4−2.412
4. ∗100 = -0.5%
2.4
3.5−3.417
5. * 100 = 2.37%
3.5

PRECAUSIONS:

1. I avoided parallel error when reading the scale

2. I avoided zero error in reading the spring balance
3. I avoided adding weight on the table when measuring
4. I added my weight on the hanger gently
5. I let the weight settle down on the hanger before I started measuring

CONCLUTION: Both the vertical and horizontal force are similar with exception of the error.
Therefore, the percentage error for most is very small. So the law of moment is verified

REFERENCE:
John D.Y(2022), Applied mechanics lab manual.to verify the moment using bell Cranel lever ,
Nile university of Nigeria.

“All experiment 30 July - its very helpful for all - engineering mechanics lab Manual Department of,”
StuDocu. [Online]. Available: https://www.studocu.com/row/document/the-university-of-faisalabad/
engineering-mechanics/all-experiment-30-july-its-very-helpful-for-all/13974042. [Accessed: 24-Nov-
2022].