A force of 20 N is applied at an angle of 30 degrees to the lever arm of 1 m. Wh
Practice Questions
Q1
A force of 20 N is applied at an angle of 30 degrees to the lever arm of 1 m. What is the torque about the pivot?
10 Nm
17.32 Nm
20 Nm
5 Nm
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A force of 20 N is applied at an angle of 30 degrees to the lever arm of 1 m. What is the torque about the pivot?
Step 1: Identify the force applied, which is 20 N.
Step 2: Identify the distance from the pivot to where the force is applied, which is 1 m.
Step 3: Identify the angle at which the force is applied, which is 30 degrees.
Step 4: Calculate the sine of the angle: sin(30°) = 0.5.
Step 5: Use the torque formula: Torque = Force × Distance × sin(angle).
Step 6: Substitute the values into the formula: Torque = 20 N × 1 m × 0.5.
Step 7: Calculate the result: Torque = 20 N × 1 m × 0.5 = 10 Nm.
Torque – Torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force, calculated as the product of the force applied, the distance from the pivot point, and the sine of the angle between the force and the lever arm.
Trigonometric Functions – Understanding how to apply sine in the context of angles is crucial for calculating torque when the force is applied at an angle.
Units of Measurement – Recognizing that torque is measured in Newton-meters (Nm) and ensuring that all units are consistent in calculations.
