Physics Laboratory Manual 4th Edition

David Loyd Solutions Manual

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Laboratory 10. Torques and Rotational Equilibrium of a
Rigid Body

Comments to the Instructor

The theory section defines torque in a general way as the product of a force and the
perpendicular lever arm of the force. The equilibrium situations that are encountered in this
laboratory involve forces applied to a meter stick. The equilibrium is always achieved when the
meter stick is horizontal, and the forces are from the weight of masses hung on the meter stick
by a string. Thus in the case of equilibrium, the applied forces are always perpendicular to the
meter stick. This experimental arrangement ensures that the torque equations will be as simple
as possible.

There are several ways to demonstrate the experimental agreement with the theory. In the
first two parts of the laboratory the values of all masses are assumed known, the location of all
but one is assumed known, and the location of that one is experimentally determined.
Comparison is then made between the clockwise and counterclockwise torques. In the third
and fifth parts of the laboratory all locations are assumed known, and the value of one mass is
determined from the torque equations. In the fourth part of the laboratory the position of one
mass is determined both experimentally and theoretically and the results compared. Each of
these five situations represents a verification of the equation describing the summation of
torques for a rigid body.

A common mistake that students make is to forget to include the mass of the meter stick
acting at the center of mass of the meter stick. Another common mistake occurs when students
confuse the location of a mass with the lever arm of the mass.

Post Laboratory Exam Questions

1. Torque is defined as (a) force divided by perpendicular lever arm (b) lever arm divided by
force (c) force times perpendicular lever arm (d) force times distance. Answer (c)
 2. The conditions for translational equilibrium are (a) Σ F = 0 (b) Σ τ = 0 (c) Σ F = 0 and Σ τ =
0 (d) Σ F = Σ τ . Answer (a)

3. The conditions for rotational equilibrium are (a) Σ F = 0 (b) Σ τ = 0 (c) Σ F = 0 and Σ τ = 0
(d) Σ F = Σ τ . Answer (b)

4. The conditions for total mechanical equilibrium are (a) Σ F = 0 (b) Σ τ = 0 (c) Σ F = 0 and Σ
τ = 0 (d) Σ F = Σ τ . Answer (c)

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

m1 m2

Figure 10‐0. The meter stick is massless.

5. In Figure 10‐0 if m1 = 0.235 kg, what is the torque due to m1 about the point of support?
(a) 0.0823 N‐m (b) 8.23 N‐m (c) 0.806 N‐m (d) 0.345 N‐m Answer (c)

6. In Figure 10‐0 if m1 = 0.235 kg, what value of m2 would place the system in equilibrium?
(a) 0.411 kg (b) 0.504 kg (c) 0.235 kg (d) 1.23 kg Answer (a)

7. In Figure 10‐0 for the conditions of Question 6 with the meter stick in equilibrium, what is
the force with which the support pushes upward? (a) 0.646 N (b) 0.470 N (c) 4.23 N (d)
6.33 N Answer (d)

8. In Figure 10‐0 if m1 = 0.500 kg and m2= 0.275 kg, what value of mass must be placed al the
90 cm position to put the system in equilibrium? (a) 0.300 kg (b) 0.400 kg (c) 0.200 kg (d)
0.250 kg Answer (a)

9. In Figure 10‐0 if m1 = 0.175 kg and m2= 0.650 kg, at what position on the meter stick
 would a mass of 0.250 kg need to be placed to put the system in equilibrium? (a) 27.5 cm
(b) 32.5 cm (c) 67.5 cm (d) 22.5 cm. Answer (d)

10. For the equilibrium situation described in Question 9, what is the force with which the
support pushes up on the meter stick? (a) 1.075 N (b) 10.54 N (c) 6.57N (d) 3.67N
Answer (b)

Pre­Laboratory Assignment

1. State a definition of torque and give an equation for torque. Define the terms in the
equation.
The tendency of a force to cause a rotation about some axis is called the torque, τ, of
that force. τ = Fd ⊥ where F = force and d ⊥ = perpendicular lever arm of the force.
2. What are the conditions for equilibrium of a rigid body? State in words and equation form
and define the terms of the equations.
The vector sum of the forces at an axis must be zero, and the vector sum of the torques
about that axis must be zero. ∑ F = 0 , and ∑τ = 0

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

A B

F F 2 =15.0 N
1 =10.0 N

Figure 10‐4. Meter stick with two forces F1 and F2 acting at points shown.

3. For the meter stick shown in Figure 10‐4 the force F1 10.0 N acts at 10.0 cm. What is the
magnitude of the torque due to F1 about an axis through point A perpendicular to the
page? Is it clockwise, or is it counterclockwise? Show your work and give correct units.

τ = Fd ⊥ = (10.0)(0.100) 1.00 N‐m clockwise

 4. In Figure 10‐4 the force F2 = 15.0 N acts at the point 70.0 cm. What is the magnitude of
the torque due to F2 about an axis through point B and perpendicular to the page? Is the
torque clockwise, or is it counterclockwise? Show your work and give correct units.

τ = Fd ⊥ = (15.0)(0.200) = 3.00 N‐m clockwise

5. For the meter stick in Figure 10‐4, what is the magnitude of the net torque due to both
forces F1 and F2 about an axis perpendicular to the page through point A? Is it clockwise or
counterclockwise? Show your work.

τ1 = 10.0(0.100) = 1.00 N‐m clockwise and τ2 = 15.0(0.700) = 10.5 N‐m clockwise

τnet = t1+ t2 = 1.00+10.5 = 11.5 N‐m clockwise

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

m1 m2

Figure 10‐5. Meter stick with forces applied by hanging two masses m1 and m2.

6. In Figure 10‐5 if mass m1 = 0.100 kg acts at 20.0 cm, what is the value of mass m2 that
must be placed at the position 70.0 cm shown to put the system in equilibrium? Write the
equation for Στccw = Στcw with the mass m2 as unknown and solve for m2. Assume the
meter stick is uniform and symmetric. Show your work.

m1gd1 = m2gd2 or (0.100)(9.80)(0.300) = m2 (9.80)(0.200) or m2 = (0.100)(0.300)/(0.200) =

0.150 kg
Laboratory Report

Meter Stick Data Table

mo = 142.29 g = 0.14229 kg xg = 49.48 g = 0.4948 m

Data and Calculations Table 1

Lever arm Torque (N‐ %

Mass Position
(m) m) Difference

m1= 100g=0.100
x1=10 cm = 0.100 m d1= 0.3948 tccw= 0.3869
kg
0.57 %
m2=200 g=0.200 x2=69.33 cm= 0.6933
d2= 0.1985 tcw= 0.3891
kg m

Data and Calculations Table 2

Lever arm Torque (N‐ %

Mass Position
(m) m) Difference

m1= 100g=0.100
x1= 10.0 cm= 0.100 m d1= 0.3948 tccw = 0.5006
kg

m2=200 g=0.200
x2= 75.0 cm =0.750 m d2= 0.2552 0.08 %
kg

x3= 26.27 cm = 0.2627

m3=50 g=0.050 kg d3= 0.2321 tcw = 0.5002
m
Data and Calculations Table 3

Support Position xo = 0.2639 m

Lever arm (mo)exp

Mass Position % Error
(m) (kg)

m2=200 g=0.200 kg x1= 10.0 cm= 0.100 m d1= 0.1639

mo= 142.29 g = 0.14229 xg = 49.48 cm = 0.4948 0.1420 0.2 %

do= 0.2309
kg m

Data and Calculations Table 4

Support Position xo = 0.400 m

Lever Arm
Mass Position (m) Equation for the Torque
(m)
m1gd1 + m2gd2 + m4gd4 =
m1=50 g=0.050 kg x1=5.0 cm =0.050 m d1= 0.3500
= m3gd3 + mogdo
m2=30.0 g=0.300kg x2=30.0 cm =0.300 m d2= 0.1000

m3=200 g=0.200kg x3=70.0 cm = 0.700 m d3= 0.3000

x4=13.83 cm = (d4)exp=
m4=100g=0.100kg Solving equation for d4
0.1383m 0.2617
gives(d ) = 0.2599
4 theo m
mo=142.29g=0.14229 xg=49.48 cm=
do= 0.0948
kg 0.4948m

Data and Calculations Table 5. (Example of Typical Procedure)

(1) Place the knife‐edge clamp on the meter stick at the center of gravity.

(2) Place 0.0500 kg at x1 = 0.1000 m mark on the meter stick.

(3) Place the unknown mass on the meter stick in the position such that the system is in
 equilibrium. Record its position as x2.

(4) Equate the torque due to ma to the torque due to mexp with mexp treated as an unknown
and solve of mexp. Record the values in the table below.

Mass (kg) Position (m) Lever Arm (m) mexp d2 g = m1 d1 g

m1 = 0.0500 x1= 0.1000 d1= 0.3948

mexp= 0.06523 x2= 0.7974 d2= 0.30260 mexp= m1 (d1/ d2)

The value of the unknown mass as determined by the laboratory balance is 0.06549 kg.

% Error = = |E‐K|/K × 100% = (0.06549‐0.06523)/(0.06549) ×100% = 0.40%

Questions

1. Consider the percentage difference between the Σtccw and the Σtcw for the first two parts
of the laboratory when known forces are balanced. A difference of 0.5% or less is
excellent, a difference of 1.0% or less is good, and a difference of 2% or less is acceptable

Both percentage differences are 0.08% which is excellent. Most careful students should
achieve percentage differences that are less than 1%.

2. Using the same criteria as in Question 1 for the percentage differences, describe your
results for the determination of mass of the meter stick in Part 3 of the laboratory and for
the determination of the lever arm of the mass m4 in Part 4 of the laboratory.

The data shown is exceptionally good and definitely verifies the theory. Most careful
students should have differences of the order of 1% or less for these data which should
be considered as verification of the theory.

3. In all of the experimental arrangements the mass of the knife‐edge clamp is ignored. Is
this an approximation because its mass is small, or is there some reason it makes no
contribution to the torque? State your reasoning clearly.

Assuming the knife edge clamp’s mass is distributed symmetrically about the point of
suspension, its mass would always act through the point of suspension, and thus would
 always have a zero lever arm and always contribute zero torque.

4. Suppose an experimental arrangement like the one in Part 2 has mass m1 = 0.200 kg at the
0.100‐m mark and a mass m2 = 0.100 kg at the 0.750‐m mark. Can the system be put in
equilibrium by a 0.050‐kg mass? If it can be done, state where it would be placed. If it
cannot be done, state why not.

Σtccw = (0.2000)(9.80)(0.3948) = 0.7738 N‐m Σtcw = (0.1000)(9.80)(0.2552) = 0.2501 N‐m

Therefore a torque equal to 0.7738 – 0.2501 = 0.5237 N‐m is needed to balance the
system. The maximum possible CW lever arm possible for the 0.0500 kg mass is 0.5052
m that would produce a maximum CW torque of (0.0500)(9.80)(0.5052) = 0.2475 N‐m.
Thus, there is no way to balance the system with a mass of 0.0500 kg.

5. In Part 1 of the laboratory, what is the value of the force Fs with which the support pushes
upward on the meter stick?

ΣF=0 and FS = (0.1000+0.2000+0.14229)(9.80) = 4.33 N

6. For the equilibrium conditions established in Part 4 of the laboratory, calculate the
counterclockwise and clockwise torques about an axis perpendicular to the page through
a point at the left end of the meter stick. Calculate the percentage difference between
the net counterclockwise torque and the net clockwise torque.

FS = (0.0500+0.3000+0.2000+0.1000+0.14229)(9.80) = 7.764 N

Σtcw=(0.0500×0.0500+0.3000×0.3000+0.2000×0.7000+0.1000×0.1383+0.14229×0.4949)

(9.80) = 0.3167 N‐m Σtccw = FS (0.4000)(9.80) = (7.764)(0.4000)(9.80) =

0.3169 % Difference = (0.3169‐0.3167)/(0.3168)×100% = 0.69%. This is exactly the same

percentage difference obtained in Part 4 because the point about which the torque is
computed is irrelevant.