Principle of moments

Turning forces
Students need to be introduced to the idea of turning
forces, by giving examples of levers and leverage. The
idea that the turning force depends on the moment of
the force where
 
MOMENT OF A FORCE = FORCE(N) X
PERPENDICULAR DISTANCE FROM FULCRUM (m)
( or the point in question )
Moment

The moment of a force is given by the relationship:

Moment = Force (N) x Distance (cm or m).

Moments are measured in Newton centimetre (Ncm) or

Newton metre (Nm).

moment

F x d
Students should be able to be able to calculate the moment in
different situations, (initially for one force) from diagrams
supplied, giving the correct unit and whether the moment is
acting in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction. There are
good examples of powerpoints such as ABSORB PHYSICS.
Students should be able to explain how and why the turning
effect changes as a cyclist pushes against a pedal. (The
perpendicular distance alters).
Moment

The moment of a force is given by the relationship:

Moment = Force (N) x Distance (cm or m).

Moments are measured in Newton centimetre (Ncm) or

Newton metre (Nm).

moment

F x d
Students should also be able to work out the resultant
moment acting in more complicated examples where several
turning forces are acting. Students can then state if the
system is in equilibrium, or whether it will rotate in a
clockwise or anticlockwise direction.
Moments calculation
Gina weighs 500 N and stands on one end of a seesaw. She is 0.5 m from the
pivot.
What moment does she exert?

Click for solution

moment = 500 x 0.5

= 250 Nm

0.5 m

500 N
pivot
Possible investigations
Using a suspended meter ruler to find the
mass/weight of an object by applying the principle of
moments. Students could take five sets of readings
and calculate an average, ignoring any anomalous
results. They could check the mass and calculate their
% error
Principle of moments

The green girl exerts an anti- The yellow girl exerts a clockwise
clockwise moment equal to ... pivot
moment equal to...
her weight x distance her weight x distance from
from pivot. pivot.
Principle of moments

pivot

If the two moments are equal then the seesaw is balanced. This is known as the
principle of moments.

When balanced
Total clockwise moment = total anti-clockwise moment
“c.m.” = “a-c.m.”
Finding the mass of a meter ruler by suspending it
around the 25cm mark, with a piece of string and
suspending a mass of similar size to the ruler near the
zero mark. The string can be adjusted until the ruler is
balanced. This experiment could be used introduce
the concept of centre of mass.
Why don’t cranes fall over?

Tower cranes are essential at any major construction site.

trolley
load arm

counterweight

loading platform

tower

Concrete counterweights are fitted to the crane’s short arm. Why are these needed
for lifting heavy loads?
Once students understand the idea of centre of mass,
they could use a plumbline to find the centre of mass of
a simple lamina, such as a cardboard map of Britain. The
lamina is freely suspended so that it can rotate from at
least three different places. A line is drawn along the
plumbline on the lamina from each point of suspension.
The centre of mass will be the point where all the lines
cross.
Why don’t cranes fall over?

Using the principle of moments, when is the crane balanced?

3m

6m

? 10 000 N

moment of = moment of
load counterweight

If a 10 000 N counterweight is 3 metres from the tower, what weight can be

lifted when the loading platform is 6 metres from the tower?
Various toys, and items such a Bunsen, racing car, lifeboat
and ball could be used to demonstrate the importance of a
low centre of gravity and a wide base in certain situations.
The terms stable, unstable and neutral equilibrium could
be explained