‘woiza, 15 FM ‘academic. brooklyn cuny edulphysics/scbelPhys t/eqm hin EQUILIBRIUM OF MOMENTS ‘We consider the equilibrium of an object like a horizontal bar. In the lab it will be a meter stick. Equilibrium means that it does not have translation (motion in which all points on the body move with the same vector velocity) or rotation. We can define rotation by choosing any point on the body, calling that point the "axis", and considering rotation about that axis There may be several forces acting on the body, and each force acts at a certain point. In the diagram, F acts at point Py and F) acts at point P>; Ais the axis, <+— d, «4, ——_ > Ry A P, We consider only forces that act up or down. The distance fiom the point where the force aets to the axis is called the moment arm, 4 and dp in the diagram, The product of the force times the moment armis called the torque (also called ‘the moment), and is represented by the Greek letter tau: r. t= Fd Torque also has a sign: It is positive (by convention) ifit tends to rotate the object in a counter-clockwise direction around the axis. It is negative ifit tends to rotate the object in a clockwise direction around the axis. In the diagram the torque due to F is positive and the torque due to F is negative. The forces themselves have signs. We may take forces positive ifdirected up, and negative down. The conditions for equilibrium are then stated simply: The sum of all forces must be zero, and the sum of all torques must be zero, ry4=0 BF=0 ‘Here "i's a label that varies over all the forces, i= 1, 2, 3, ete One particular force requires further consideration: the weight ofthe bar. The weight (force of earth's gravity) does not act at a point, but acts at all point along the object. However, for purposes of determining equilibrium, the weight can be considered to be concentrated at a single point, called the center of mass. Thus, a bar supported by two upward forces, and held in equilibrium, looks like the figure below. academic. brooklyn.cuny-edulphysics/sobelPhys tfeqmhtn 1‘woiza, 15 FM ‘academic. brooklyn cuny edulphysics/scbelPhys t/eqm hin «+d, >< 4, — > Py A P, > dy Since the axis, for problem-solving purposes, can be chosen anywhere along the bar, its convenient to choose it at the point where one of the forces acts, Then the moment arm for that force will be equal to zero, and so that force will not come into the torque equation. For example, we may choose the axis to be at the center of mass. <—d,—_ >< d, ——_ > x A P, (qy = 9) Inthis diagram, suppose F; = 2.0 N, dy = 0.4 m, dy = 0.5 m, and F is unknown. W is alo not known, but dy and so the torque due to the weight, sw —0. The torque equation thus becomes, ty =-Fidj =-2.0X 0.4 =-0.8, +P dy = Fy X 0.5, and so 0.5F)-0.8=0, F) = LON. ‘Note that the weight is not given, or determined, in the discussion above. To find the weight we have to use the second. equilibrium condition, that the sum ofall forces = 0. Since F, and F2 are up, and W is down, we have 2.0+1.6- W=0, or W=36N. For many objects with simple geometrical shapes one can determine the center of mass by symmetry. For example, the center of mass of a uniform bar is at its geomettical center. For the meter stick itis at the 50 cm mark. Because of wear and tear, the center ofmass may differ slightly fom this point. One way to determine the location of the center of mass is to balance the bar by holding it ata single point from the bottom. The point where it balances isthe center of mass. academic. brooklyn.cuny-edulphysics/sobelPhys tfeqmhtn ae