Turning

Forces
Lever

• A lever is a long bar that turns

around a pivot or fulcrum.
• When you push down on one
side, you are applying an
effort or force and the object
on the other end moves up.
This object is called the load.
• The longer the lever, the
easier it is to move the load.
Different Kinds of lever
Force Multiplier
Distance Multiplier
• Your arm is also a lever. It is a
distance multiplier.

• Load Distance > Effort Distance.

• In this case, you have to put in big

effort in a short effort distance to
move the load a great distance.
Moment
• Moment is the turning effect of the force.

• Moment = Force x Perpendicular distance from the pivot

M = F.d

• Unit of Moment = N.m (Newton meters)

• Size of moment depends on the

• The size of the force
• The distance between the force and the pivot
Example 1
The spanner is 0.2m long and the force is
20N. Calculate the moment of the force.

Moment = Force x Perpendicular

distance from the pivot

Moment = 20N x 0.2m

= 4Nm
Clockwise Moment and Anti-Clockwise
Moment
d = 2m d = 2m F = 10N

F = 10N

Clockwise moment = 10N x 2m = -20 Nm

Clockwise moment = 10N x 2m = 20 Nm
Anti Clockwise moment = 20 Nm
Example 2 What is the resultant moment of the lever?

F2 = 12N Clockwise moment = F1 x d

1m
= 10N x 2m = 20Nm
1m F1 = 10N
Anti-Clockwise moment = F2 x d
= 12N x 1m = 12Nm

Resultant Moment = Clockwise – Anti Clockwise

= 20Nm – 12Nm
= 8Nm (Clockwise)

The lever will turn in clockwise direction.

Example 3 What is the resultant moment of the lever?
3N

20cm 30cm 20cm 30cm

Clockwise moment = (2N x 100cm) + (10N x 50cm)
= 700Ncm

2N
Anti-Clockwise moment = (5N x 20cm) + (3N x 70cm)
5N
= 310 Ncm
10N

Resultant Moment = Clockwise – Anti Clockwise

= 700Ncm – 310Ncm
= 390Ncm (Clockwise)

The lever will turn in clockwise direction.

Moment in Equilibrium
• If the object is in equilibrium, the clockwise moment and anti-
clockwise moment is equal.

• When the object is in

equilibrium, the object will not
turn but remain balanced.
 Example 4
Is the see-saw balanced?
1m 3m

Clockwise moment = 600N x 3m

= 1800 Nm

600N
Anti-Clockwise moment = 1800N x 1m
1800N
= 1800 Nm

Anti-Clockwise moment = Clockwise moment

The See-Saw is balanced.

Example 5

0.2 m 0.3 m
The see-saw is in equilibrium. Work out how
much weight you need to balance a see-saw?

In Equilibrium,
4N Anticlockwise = Clockwise
F= ?
F x 0.2 = 4 x 0.3
F x 0.2 = 1.2
F = 1.2 / 0.2
F = 6N

6N is required to balance the see-saw.

Example 6
The see-saw is in equilibrium. Work out where
0.3 m d
you need to put the weight to balance the see-
saw.

2N In Equilibrium,
3N Anticlockwise = Clockwise
3N x 0.3m = 2N x d
0.9 = 2d
d = 0.9/2
d = 0.45 m

6N is required to balance the see-saw.

Example 7

0.5 m 3m
The force on the left is moved from
3m to 0.5m away from the pivot. Will
the anticlockwise moment be larger or
smaller than before? Explain your
600 N answer.
1800 N

Smaller, because the perpendicular

distance between the force and the
pivot is now smaller.