Moment
A moment of a force is essentially a measure of how much a force causes an object to rotate about a point or axis.
What affects the moment?
The turning force about any point (P) will be greater if the:
- force is greater
- perpendicular distance from P to the line in the direction of the force
What’s the distance measuring?
Suppose we had this setup (p is the object, or pivot), and we pushed down at
point
P A
+------------+
< -- 4m -- >
The line of action of the force would be:
P A
+------------+
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flashcards
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Moment of a force definition | Measure of how much a force causes an object to rotate about a point or axis |
| What two factors affect the magnitude of a moment about a point P? | Greater force and greater perpendicular distance from P to the line of action of the force |
| What does the perpendicular distance measure in the context of moments? | The distance from the pivot or point P to the line of action of the force, not necessarily directly to the point of application |