MOMENTS

AS Level Physics

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Overview

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 Centre of gravity
The weight of a body may be taken as acting at a single
point known as its centre of gravity

Centre of gravity of a body = the point where the

weight of the body may be considered to act.

• Recognise that although all parts of the card

possess weight, some problems can be
solved more easily by assuming that all the
weight acts downwards from this particular
point.
• Be aware of where the centre of gravity is
for shapes with uniform weight distribution,
such as circles, squares, rectangles and
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triangles.
 Moment of a force

• Think of the occasions when you have applied

a force to something which resulted in a
turning motion today, and make a list:

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Let’s investigate moments
You’ve each been given a newton meter and a retort stand.

Rotate a retort stand from lying down to horizontal.

Calculate the moment at each distance to show it is the same.

• Demonstrate that the turning effect depends on:

– both the magnitude of the force applied and
– the distance of its point of application from the pivot.
• Calculate the moment at each distance to show it is the same.
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Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22VGQM1jCn8
Definition of moment:

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 Principle of Moments

NB:
When there is no resultant force and no resultant torque, a system is in equilibrium

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A couple = a pair of forces that tends to produce
rotation only

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 Moment vs Torque
• A single turning force has a moment about a
pivot,
• A couple, which always consists of two forces,
equal and opposite, produces a torque.

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Paper 21, June 2011, Q3

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Paper 21, June 2011, Q3

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Paper 21, Nov 2013, Q4

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Paper 21, Nov 2013, Q4 continued…

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Paper 21, Nov 2011, Q2

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Paper 21, Nov 2011, Q2 continued…

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23 June 2011 Q2 (a)

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21 June 2012 Q3 (a)

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22 June 2012 Q3 (b)(i)

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23 June 2012 Q1 (c)(i)

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22 June 2013 Q3 (b)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c)

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22 June 2013 Q3 (b)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c)

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