Turning Effects of Forces Vocabulary

Flashcards about Turning Effects of Forces.

Moment

The turning effect of a force.

Lever

A rigid bar resting on a pivot or fulcrum, used to move a load when a force is applied.

Pivot

The point around which a lever rotates; also known as a fulcrum.

Torque

Another term for the turning effect of a force, equivalent to moment.

Moment of a Force (M)

The product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the pivot to the line of action of the force; M = Fd

Formula for Moment of a Force

M = Fd, where F is the force applied and d is the perpendicular distance from the pivot to the line of action of the force.

SI Unit for Moment of a Force

Newton metre (Nm)

Clockwise Moment

A rotation about a pivot in the clockwise direction.

Anticlockwise Moment

A rotation about a pivot in the anticlockwise direction.

Principle of Moments

When a body is in equilibrium, the sum of clockwise moments about a pivot is equal to the sum of anticlockwise moments about the same pivot.

Equilibrium

A state where an object is not undergoing any rotational or translational motion; it is balanced.

Conditions for Equilibrium

The resultant moment on the body is zero and the resultant force on the body is also zero.

Centre of Gravity

An imaginary point where the entire weight of an object seems to act.

Turning effect of a force

Also known as moment

M

Moment (Nm)

F

Force Applied (N)

d

Distance from the pivot to the line of action of the force (m)

Sum of clockwise moments

Equals sum of anticlockwise moments.

Resultant moment

on the body in equilibrium is zero.

Resultant force

on the body in equilibrium is zero.

Force

A push or pull that can cause an object to accelerate.

Distance

The length between two points.

Equilibrium

A state of balance where opposing forces or influences are equal.

Gravity

The force that attracts a body towards the center of the earth, or towards any other physical body having mass.

Mass

A measure of the amount of matter in an object.

Load

The weight or resistance that a lever must overcome.

Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction.

Perpendicular Distance

The shortest distance from a point to a line, forming a right angle.

Line of Action of Force

An imaginary line extending in the direction of the force.

Pivot

The fixed point around which a lever rotates.