Moment of force

The turning effect of force is called moment of force.

The moment of force depends on the following factors.
The size (magnitude) of the force
The perpendicular distance between the line of action of the force and the
turning point which is called the pivot.
We calculate the moment of force by using the following formula
Moment of force = force * perpendicular distance from pivot to the line of action
of the force
Moment=F * d
Moment is measured in newton meters(Nm).
One force on its own isn’t much use to us. We normally look at situations where
turning effects are balanced (or not!).
Let’s look at the example below and find the missing force F:
………………………………………………..pic

If the system is balanced, the anticlockwise turning effect of force F must equal
the clockwise turning effect:
clockwise moment = anticlockwise moment
Clockwise moment = 5 N × 0·50 m = 2·50 Nm.
Anticlockwise moment = F × 0·25 m = 2·50 Nm
Force F = 2·50 Nm ÷ 0·25 m = 10 N
In order to balance the 5 N force acting at 0·5 m from the pivot, we require 10 N
acting in the opposite direction but at 0·25 m.
Unbalanced Forces
Sometimes moments can easily become unbalanced – even when we don’t want
them to!
In these unfortunate examples, it would seem that in loading the cart, some of
the boxes must have slipped to the back – further away from the pivot –
greatly increasing their turning effect. In the case of the lorry, its weight wasn’t
enough to balance the heavy bricks.
The result was the lifting of the donkey – who must have been very surprised! For
the lorry, it was lucky nobody was hurt.

……….
Sometimes more than one force acts on the same side of the pivot. Their
overall turning effect is easy to work out.
……………………………….pic.

Turning effect
A force may cause an object to turn about a pivot.
The turning effect of a force is called the moment of the force.
Moments act about a pivot in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction.
The anticlockwise moment acts downward on the left, and the clockwise moment
acts downwards on the right
Calculating the moment of a force
The size of the moment of a force can be calculated using the equation:
moment of a force = force F x perpendicular distance from the pivot d
moment = F x d
 force F is measured in newtons (N)
 distance d is measured in metres (m)
 moment is measured in newton metres (Nm)

Perpendicular distance from pivot to force d = 0.50 m.

Force F = 10 N
Moment = Fd
Moment = 10 N x 0.50 m
Moment = 5 Nm
This is a clockwise moment.
The force will rotate the object in a clockwise direction about the pivot.
Relative comments on the three 'moment' situations A to C
Situation A
With the longer spanner, and applying the force perpendicular (at 90o) to the line
from the point of applying the force to the pivot point (centre of the nut or bolt),
you generate the maximum moment (F x d).
The perpendicular distance d, is the shortest distance between the pivot and the
line of action of the force
Situation B
If you apply the force at any other angle than at 90o to the perpendicular distance
line (d), d will always be shorter and hence a smaller moment is generated by
applying the same force as in situation A.
Situation C
With the shorter spanner, despite applying the force at 90o (perpendicular), d is
smaller and you cannot generate as large a moment as in situation A.
 pic1

pic2

Centre of Mass
Definition: The center of mass is the unique point at the center of a distribution of
mass in space that has the property that the weighted position vectors relative to
this point sum to zero. In analogy to statistics, the center of mass is the mean
location of a distribution of mass in space.

In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space is the unique point
where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. This is
the point to which a force may be applied to cause a linear acceleration without
an angular acceleration. Calculations in mechanics are often simplified when
formulated with respect to the center of mass. It is a hypothetical point where
entire mass of an object may be assumed to be concentrated to visualise its
motion. In other words, the center of mass is the particle equivalent of a given
object for application of Newton's laws of motion.
In the case of a single rigid body, the center of mass is fixed in relation to the
body, and if the body has uniform density, it will be located at the centroid. The
center of mass may be located outside the physical body, as is sometimes the
case for hollow or open-shaped objects, such as a horseshoe. In the case of a
distribution of separate bodies, such as the planets of the Solar System, the
center of mass may not correspond to the position of any individual member of
the system.
The center of mass is a useful reference point for calculations in mechanics that
involve masses distributed in space, such as the linear and angular momentum of
planetary bodies and rigid body dynamics. In orbital mechanics, the equations of
motion of planets are formulated as point masses located at the centers of mass.
The center of mass frame is an inertial frame in which the center of mass of a
system is at rest with respect to the origin of the coordinate system.

The center of mass can be calculated by taking the masses you are trying to find
the center of mass between and multiplying them by their positions. Then, you
add these together and divide that by the sum of all the individual masses.