Chapter 8

Forces

Prepared by: Mr Sia Zhi Wei

Chapter 8: Forces
8.1 Pressure
8.2 Pressure in liquids
8.3 Pressure in gases
8.4 Density
8.5 Levers and moments
Learning objectives

By the end of this section, students will be able to:

1. Differentiate the force multiplier and distance multiplier.

2. Give some examples of levers we encounter daily .
3. Calculate the moment.
4. Apply the principle of moments.
Lever
Before After
Lever

Give me a fulcrum, and I shall move the world. ——————Archimedes

给我一个支点，我可以撬起整个地球 ———— 阿基米德
 Lever
A lever is a simple machine that can used to reduce the effort to get a job done.（
杠杆是一种简单机械，可用于减轻工作量 ）

effort : The force that you exert on the bar.

（力点：你施加在杠杆上的力）
load : The object that you lift.
（重点：你举起的物体）
fulcrum / pivot : The fixed point of a lever.
（支点：杠杆的固定点）
Example : Force multiplier and distance multiplier
Which is the force multiplier?

Answer: A
 Force multiplier
Force multiplier: The distance between the pivot and the effort is larger than
the distance between the pivot and the load.（省力杠杆：支点和力点的距离大
过支点和重点的距离）
Example: Force multiplier

Bottle opener Wheelbarrow

Scissor
Nut cracker
Distance multiplier

Distance multiplier: The distance between the pivot and the effort is smaller
than the distance between the pivot and the load. （省距离杠杆：支点和力
点的距离小过过支点和重点的距离）
Example: Distance multiplier

Fishing rod
Chopsticks

Ton Broom
g
Turning effect

No turning effect Turning

effect
Example of turning effect
Moment

When a force causes an object to turn, this turning effect is called moment.
（当力导致物体转动时，这种转动的效果称为力矩）
Moment

Moment = Force x perpendicular distance between force and pivot.

Example

A cat of weight 20 N stands on one end of a see-saw and the distance

between the cat and the pivot is 3 m. Find the moment.

moment = force x distance

moment = 20 N x 3 m
moment = 60 Nm
Calculating moment

Anticlockwise moment about X Clockwise moment about X

=Fxd =Fxd
=3Nx5m =5Nx4m
= 15 Nm = 20 Nm
Principle of moment

Principle of moment:
If an object is balanced, the anticlockwise moments and the clockwise
moments are the same.（如果物体是平衡的，逆时针力矩和顺时针力矩是
相同的）
Example
The see-saw in the diagram is in equilibrium. Find the value of d.

Anticlockwise moment = Clockwise moment

F1 x d1 = F2 x d2
10 N x 6 m = 30 N x d
d=
d=2m