II. Practice Problems.

Moment of a Force

111. The moment of the force P about point A is

60 N-m. Calculate the magnitude of P. The plate
upon which the force acts is divided into 0.10 m
squares.
Ans. P = 120 N

112. A rectangular plate is made up of 0.10 m

squares as shown. An 800 N force is applied at
point A in the direction shown. Calculate the
moment MB of the force about B.
Ans. MB = 221.8 N-m CW

113. Calculate the moment about point A

exerted by the 180 N force supported by the
hoisting cable of the tractor crane for the
position shown.
Ans. MA = 2794 kN-m CW

114. If the combined moment about point A of

the 50 N force and the force P is zero, determine
the magnitude of P. The plate upon which the
forces act is divided into 10-cm square.
Ans. P = 67.6 N

115. Find the y-coordinate of point A so that the

480 N force will have a clockwise moment of 600
N-m about O. Also determine the x and y
intercepts of the action line of the force.
Ans. y = 3.0662 m, ix = 2.08 m, iy = 1.56 m
116. A force F passing through C causes a
clockwise moment of 240 N-m about A and a
clockwise moment of 140 N-m about B.
Determine the force and its x-intercept ix.
Ans. ix = 3.60 m

117. Compute the sum of the moments of the

forces F = 400 N and P = 316 N about the points
A, B and C. Each square is 0.10 m on a side.
Ans. MA = 66 N-m CCW, MB = 156 N-m CW
MC = 18 N-m CCW

118. A pole is stayed by guy wires. If the tension

in wire A is 120 N, determine the magnitude of
the tension in wire B to prevent the pole from
tipping, i.e., so that the resultant moment about
O of both forces is zero.
Ans. T = 159 N

119. The masthead fitting supports the two

forces shown. Determine the magnitude of T
which will cause no bending of the mast (zero
moment) at point O.
Ans. T = 5.268 kN

120. Determine the angle Ɵ which will maximize

the moment MA of the 500 N force about the
shaft axis at A. Also compute MA.
Ans. Ɵ = 66.60, MA = 21795 N-cm
121. The boom AB is raised from the position
shown using a cable. The tension in the cable is
12 kN. Determine the moment of the cable
tension about the pivot point A in three different
ways.
Ans. M = 99.8 kN-m CCW

122. The towline exerts a force of P = 8 kN at the

end of the 15 m long crane boom. If Ɵ = 300,
determine the placement x of the hook at A so
that this force creates a maximum moment about
point O. At this value of x what is the moment of
P about C.
Ans. x = 18.19 m, MC = 126 kN-m CW

123. The hammer is subjected to a horizontal

force P = 80 N at the grip, whereas it takes a force
F = 490 N at the claw to pull out the nail.
Determine if P is sufficient to pull out the nail.
The hammer head contacts the board at point A.
If not what value of P is necessary to pull the nail
out?
Ans. The force P is not sufficient, P = 92.9 N

124. If the combined moment of the two forces

about point C is zero, determine a) the
magnitude of the force P, b) the magnitude of
the resultant of the two forces, c) the coordinates
x and y of the point A on the rim of the wheel
about which the moment of the two forces is a
maximum and d) the combined moment MA of
the two forces about A.
Ans. a) P = 147.8 N, b) R = 395 N, c) x = 131.5
mm, y = 150.7 mm, d) MA = 108 783 N-mm CW
125. The angle plate is subjected to the two 250-
N forces shown. It is desired to replace these
forces by an equivalent set consisting of the 200
N force applied at A and a second force applied at
B. Determine the y-coordinate of B.
Ans. y = 230.9 mm

126. Determine the magnitude and sense of the

couple moment.
Ans. M = 18.325 kN-m CCW

5 kN

127. A couple acts on the beam shown is

balanced by a pair of horizontal forces acting
through A and B. Determine the magnitude and
direction of these forces.
Ans. FA = 12.8 kN to the right
FB = 12.8 kN to the left

128. To close a gate valve it is necessary to exert

two forces of 240 N at opposites sides of a
handwheel 0.90 m in diameter. Through an
accident the wheel is broken and the valve must
be closed by thrusting a bar through a slot in the
valve stem and exerting a force 1.20 m out from
the center. Determine the force.
Ans. 180 N
129. In designing the lifting hook we note that
the action of the applied force F at the critical
section of the hook is a pull at B and a couple. If
the magnitude of the couple is 3600 N-m,
determine the magnitude of F. B
Ans. F = 36 kN

130. The three-step pulley shown is subjected to

the given couples. Determine the forces acting at
the rim of the middle pulley that are required to
balance the given system. 400
mm
300
mm
Ans. P = 400 N

131. Replace the vertical forces acting on the

column shown by an equivalent compressive P1= 80kN

0.2 m
force along the centerline and a couple.
Ans. P = 200 kN, M = 44 kN-m

132. A force F of magnitude 50 N is exerted on

the automobile parking braking lever. Replace
the force by an equivalent force-couple system at 100
mm

the pivot point O.

Ans. 50 N force and 17.33 N-m CCW couple

133. Two integral gears are subjected to the

tooth-contact forces shown. Replace the two
forces by an equivalent single force R at the
rotation axis O and a corresponding couple M.
Ans. R = 3.815 kN, M = 84.572 N-m CCW
134. The ends of the triangular plate are
subjected to three couples. Determine the plate
dimension d so that the resultant couple is 250 N-
m clockwise.
Ans. d = 1.972 m