Torque and Equilibrium

Torque is a twist
or turn that tends
to produce
rotation. * * *
Applications are
found in many
common tools
around the home
or industry where
it is necessary to
turn, tighten or
loosen devices.
 Definition of Torque
Torque is defined as the tendency to
produce a change in rotational motion.

Examples:
 Torque is Determined by Three Factors:
• The magnitude of the applied force.
• The direction of the applied force.
• The location of the applied force.

Magnitude
Locationofofof
Direction force
force
Force
Each
TheThe 40-N
of the
forces force
20-Nthe
nearer
forces
produces
end ofhas
theatwice
different
wrenchthe 20 N 
2020
N
20NN
torque
torque
have asdue
greater does
to the
the
torques.  20 N
40 N
direction
20-N force.
of force. 20 N
20 N
 Units for Torque
Torque is proportional to the magnitude of
F and to the distance r from the axis. Thus,
a tentative formula might be:

 = Fr Sin θ Units: Nm

 = (40 N)(0.60 m)
= 24.0 Nm, cw
6 cm
 = 24.0 Nm, cw 40 N
 Direction of Torque
Torque is a vector quantity that has
direction as well as magnitude.

Turning the handle of a

screwdriver clockwise and
then counterclockwise will
advance the screw first
inward and then outward.
 Sign Convention for Torque
By convention, counterclockwise torques are
positive and clockwise torques are negative.

Positive torque: ccw

Counter-clockwise,
out of page
cw
Negative torque:
clockwise, into page
Example 1: An 80-N force acts at the end of
a 12-cm wrench as shown. Find the torque.

• Extend line of action, draw, calculate r.

r = 12 cm sin 600  = (80 N)(0.104 m)

= 10.4 cm = 8.31 N m
Calculating Resultant Torque
• Read, draw, and label a rough figure.
• Draw free-body diagram showing all forces,
distances, and axis of rotation.
• Extend lines of action for each force.
• Calculate moment arms if necessary.
• Calculate torques due to EACH individual force
affixing proper sign. CCW (+) and CW (-).
• Resultant torque is sum of individual torques.
 Example 2: Find resultant torque about
axis A for the arrangement shown below:

Find due to 30 N negative 20 N

each force. 300

r
300
Consider 20-N 6m 2m
A 4m
force first: 40 N

r = (4 m) sin 300 The torque about A is

= 2.00 m clockwise and negative.
 = Fr = (20 N)(2 m) 20 = -40 N m
= 40 N m, cw
 Example 2 (Cont.): Next we find torque
due to 30-N force about same axis A.

Find due to 30 N r
negative
20 N

each force. 300 300

Consider 30-N 6m 2m
A 4m
force next. 40 N

r = (8 m) sin 300 The torque about A is

= 4.00 m clockwise and negative.
 = Fr = (30 N)(4 m) 30 = -120 N m
= 120 N m, cw
 Example 2 (Cont.): Finally, we consider
the torque due to the 40-N force.

Find due to 30 N positive 20 N

each force. 300 r 300

Consider 40-N 6m 2m
A 4m
force next: 40 N

r = (2 m) sin 900 The torque about A is

= 2.00 m CCW and positive.
 = Fr = (40 N)(2 m) 40 = +80 N m
= 80 N m, ccw
Example 2 (Conclusion): Find resultant
torque about axis A for the arrangement
shown below:

30 N 20 N
Resultant torque
is the sum of 300 300
individual torques. 6m 2m
A 4m
40 N

R = 20 + 20 + 20 = -40 N m -120 N m + 80 N m

R = - 80 N m Clockwise
 Summary: Resultant Torque
• Read, draw, and label a rough figure.
• Draw free-body diagram showing all forces,
distances, and axis of rotation.
• Extend lines of action for each force.
• Calculate moment arms if necessary.
• Calculate torques due to EACH individual force
affixing proper sign. CCW (+) and CW (-).
• Resultant torque is sum of individual torques.
Newtons 2nd law and rotation

• Define and calculate the moment of inertia for

simple systems.
• Define and apply the concepts of Newton’s
second law.
 Inertia of Rotation
Consider Newton’s second law for the inertia of
rotation to be patterned after the law for translation.

F = 20 N Linear Inertia, m
a = 4 m/s2 20 N
m = 4 m/s2 = 5 kg

F = 20 N Rotational Inertia, I
R = 0.5 m  (20 N)(0.5 m)
=2 I = = = 2.5 kg m2
4 m/s2
rad/s2
Force does for translation what torque does for rotation:
 Rotational Inertia
Rotational Inertia is v = R
m
how difficult it is to m4
spin an object. It  m1 m3
depends on the mass m2
of the object and how axis
far away the object if Object rotating at constant 
from the axis of
rotation (pivot point). Rotational Inertia Defined:
I = mR2
Common Rotational Inertias
L L

2 2
I 1
3 mL I 1
12 mL

R R R

2
I = mR 2
I = ½mR 2
I 2
5 mR
Hoop Disk or cylinder Solid sphere
Example 1: A circular hoop and a disk
each have a mass of 3 kg and a radius
of 20 cm. Compare their rotational
inertias.
R
2 2
I  mR  (3 kg)(0.2 m)
I = 0.120 kg m2 I = mR2
Hoop

R 2
I  mR  (3 kg)(0.2 m)
1 1 2
2 2

I = ½mR2 I = 0.0600 kg m2
Disk
 Newton 2nd Law
For many problems involving rotation, there is an
analogy to be drawn from linear motion.
m 
  50 rad/s
x I R 

f
4 kg
 = 40 N m
A resultant force F A resultant torque
produces negative produces angular
acceleration a for acceleration  of disk
a mass m. with rotational inertia I.

F  ma   I
Newton’s 2nd Law for Rotation
How many
F 50 rad/s
revolutions required 
to stop? R R = 0.20 m
= I 4 kg F = 40 N

FR = (½mR2) 0
2 - o2
f
2

2F 2(40N)  02 (50 rad/s) 2

   
mR (4 kg)(0.2 m) 2 2(100 rad/s 2 )

= 100rad/s2  = 12.5 rad = 1.99 rev

Summary – Rotational Analogies
Quantity Linear Rotational
Displacement Displacement x Radians 
Inertia Mass (kg) I (kgm2)
Force Newtons N Torque N·m
Velocity v “ m/s ”  Rad/s

Acceleration a “ m/s2 ”  Rad/s2

CONCLUSION: Chapter 5A
Torque