TORQUES AND MOMENTS OF FORCE

MAINTANING EQUILIBRIUM OR CHANGING ANGULAR

MOTION

Francis Frimpong
 OBJECTIVES
• Define torque (moment of force)
• Define static equilibrium
• Determine the resultant of two or more torques
• Determine if an object is in static equilibrium, when the forces and torques acting on
the object are known
• Determine an unknown force (or torque) acting on an object, if all the other forces and
torques acting on the object are known and the object is in static equilibrium
• Define center of gravity
• Estimate the location of the center of gravity of an object or body
 TORQUES
• Turning effect produced by a force is called a torque.

• May also be called a moment of force or moment

• External force directed through COG of an object is called a centric force

—Causes a change in the linear motion of an object

• External force not directed through the COG of an object is called an

eccentric force (type of force not type of muscle action in this case)—
Causes a change in the linear and angular motions of an object.
• Pair of external forces acting in equal but opposite directions is called
a force couple —Causes a change only in the angular motion of an
object

• Resultant of the two forces in a force couple is zero

 MATHEMATICAL DEFINITION OF
TORQUE
• Torque produced by a force IS directly proportional to the size
of the force and the distance between the line of action of the
force and the point about which the object tends to rotate

• Moment arm: Perpendicular distance between the line of

action of the force and a line parallel to it that passes through
the axis of rotation
 Mathematical Definition Of Torque – cont’d

• Torque is defined mathematically as:

• T = Fr

• T = torque (or moment of force)

• F = Force (Newton)

• r = moment arm (meter)

 Mathematical Definition Of Torque – cont’d

• Vector quantity—Turning effect is around a specific axis that is directed

in a specific direction.

• Counterclockwise torques are positive

• Clockwise torques are negative

• Torques acting about the same axis may be added or subtracted to

determine the resultant.
 HOW TORQUES ARE USED

• Why are doorknobs or door handles are located on the opposite

side of the door from the hinges?

• Same size torque can be created with a large force and a small
moment arm or with a small force and a large moment arm.

• Because the amount of force humans can exert is generally

limited, we use large moment arms when we want to create
large torques.
• Why do heavy trucks have larger-diameter steering wheels than
cars?

• How is torque used in sport?

• In any sport in which we turn, spin, or swing something

(including our bodies), torque must be created.
 MUSCULAR TORQUE

• Muscles create torques that turn our limbs.

• Line of action of a muscle force is some distance from the joint axis.

• Torque produced by the muscle on the distal limb will tend to rotate that
limb in one direction about an axis through the joint
 Muscular Torque cont’d

• From full extension to 90° of flexion at the elbow joint. What happens
to the torque on the forearm produced by the biceps brachii muscle as
the forearm is moved?

• Can the muscle create the same torque throughout this range of
motion?

• Changing the angle at the joint changes the moment arm of the muscles
that cross that joint—Partially explains why our muscles are apparently
stronger in some joint positions than others
 STRENGTH-TRAINING DEVICES & TORQUE
• What happens to the torque produced around the elbow joint by the
dumbbell when an arm curl exercise is performed?

• Dumbbell doesn’t get heavier, but the torque gets larger up to 90 degrees
of elbow flexion

• Most free weight exercises, torques produced by the weights vary as the
moment arms of these weights change during the movement
 Strength-training Devices & Torque cont’d

• With weightlifting machines, cables or chains are used to redirect the line of
action of the force of gravity acting on the weight stack.

• Nautilus weightlifting machines are designed so that the resistive torque

varies in proportion to the changes in the moment arm of the muscle being
exercised
FORCES AND TORQUES IN EQUILIBRIUM

• For an object to be in static equilibrium, the external forces and torques

acting on it must sum to zero
 NET TORQUE
• Torques that act around the same axis can be added or subtracted
algebraically.

• Net torque is computed by summing the torques that act on an object.

• Example
• Coins placed to left of eraser cause rotation in counterclockwise direction
(positive torque)
• Coins placed to right of eraser cause rotation in clockwise direction
(negative torque)
• How can we achieve static equilibrium?
 MUSCLE FORCE ESTIMATES USING
EQUILIBRIUM EQUATIONS
• How much torque is created about the elbow joint axis while holding a
20kg dumbbell with the elbow joint flexed at 90° if the length of the
forearm is 15 in? T = F x r

• What force must the muscles produce to generate sufficient torque to

hold the dumbbell