Transcript Document
Torque
How do you make an object
start to rotate?
Pick an object in the room and list
all the ways you can think of to
make it start rotating.
Torque
• Let’s say we want to spin a can on the
table. A force is required.
• One way to start rotation is to wind a
string around outer edge of can and
then pull.
• Where is the force acting?
• In which direction is the force acting?
Torque
Force acting on outside of can. Where string leaves the
can, pulling tangent.
Torque
• Where you apply the force is important.
• Think of trying to open a heavy door- if
you push right next to the hinges (axis
of rotation) it is very hard to move. If
you push far from the hinges it is easier
to move.
• Distance from axis of rotation =
lever arm or moment arm
Torque
• Which string will
open the door the
easiest?
• In which direction do
you need to pull the
string to make the
door open easiest?
Torque
Torque
• tau = torque (mN)
• If force is perpendicular, =rF
• If force is not perpendicular, need to find the perpendicular
component of F
=rFsin
Where = angle btwn F and r
Torque example
(perpendicular)
• Ned tightens a bolt in his car engine by exerting 12N
of force on his wrench at a distance of 0.40m from
the fulcrum. How much torque must he produce to
turn the bolt? (force is applied perpendicular to
rotation)
Torque= =rF=(12N)(0.4m)=4.8mN
Torque- Example glencoe p. 202
• A bolt on a car engine needs to be
tightened with a torque of 35 mN. You
use a 25cm long wrench and pull on the
end of the wrench at an angle of 60.0
from perpendicular. How long is the
lever arm and how much force do you
have to exert?
• Sketch the problem before solving
More than one Torque
• When 1 torque acting, angular acceleration is
proportional to net torque
• If forces acting to rotate object in same direction net
torque=sum of torques
• If forces acting to rotate object in opposite directions
net torque=difference of torques
• Counterclockwise +
• Clockwise -
Multiple Torque experiment
• Balance a meter stick on a pivot.
• Now balance the meter stick by adding 2 different
masses- on on each side of the fulcrum.
• Derive an equation to show this equilibrium.
Torque and football
• If you kick the ball at
the center of mass it
will not spin
• If you kick the ball
above or below the
center of mass it will
spin
Inertia
• Remember our
friend, Newton?
• F=ma
• In circular motion:
– torque takes the
place of force
– Angular acceleration
takes the place of
acceleration
Rotational Inertia=LAZINESS
• Moment of inertia for a point object
I = Resistance to rotation
I=mr2 = I
• I plays the same role for rotational motion as mass
does for translational motion
• I depends on distribution of mass with respect to axis
of rotation
• When mass is concentrated close to axis of
rotation, I is lower so easier to start and stop
rotation
Rotational Inertia
Unlike translational motion, distribution of mass
is important in rotational motion.
Changing rotational inertia
• When you change
your rotational
inertia you can
drastically change
your velocity
• So what about
conservation of
momentum?
Angular momentum
• Momentum is conserved when no
outside forces are acting
• In rotation- this means if no outside
torques are acting
• A spinning ice skater pulls in her arms
(decreasing her radius of spin) and
spins faster yet her momentum is
conserved
Angular momentum
• Angular momentum=L
• L= vector cross product
of radius times
momentum
• L=r x ρ
• Right hand rule
• point fingers out the r
and curl them in
direction of ρ: your
thumb will point in
direction of L
• Unit is kgm2/s
Vector cross product: r, ρ,
and L are mutually
perpendicular to each
other
The Ice Skater Revisited
• The ice skater’s angular momentum is
conserved when she spins
• Arms out= increased radius so
decreased momentum (since mass is
unchanged this means decreased
velocity)
• Using right hand rule, which direction is
angular momentum?
Angular momentum: football,
bullets
• When you throw a football or shoot a
bullet you put a spin on it
• Use right hand rule to find direction of L
for a right-handed quarterback
• Why does this spin help?
Large ships often have a large, heavy
spinning wheel to resist torque from
waves
Examples…
• Hickory Dickory Dock…
• A 20.0g mouse ran up a clock and took
turns riding the second hand (0.20m),
minute hand (0.20m), and the hour
hand (0.10m). What was the angular
momentum of the mouse on each of the
3 hands and in what direction?
• Try as a group.