Question

Prelab for Laboratory 10: Torque

Please answer what you can, thank you!

1) Define center of mass in words and by equation.

2) Define torque. How is it different than force?

3) Define “Moment of Inertia” in words as well as by equation.

4) Explain what the three types of levers are and how they are different in terms of force advantage and disadvantage and distance advantage or disadvantage.

5) Find the torque on the rod if a 285 gm mass is attached to the right end of a 38.3 cm rod. Use MKS units.

Answer 1

1) The center of mass  is a point in a system such that if the total mass of the system were concentrated at this point and can be represented by that point ,it is given by r(com) =m1r1+m2r2/(m1+m2)

2 ) torque is the cross product of force and perpendicular distance from axis of rotation torque is cross product of r and F . force is product of mass and acceleration and torque is product of force and r ,it corresponds to rotational motion  where as force corresponds to linear motion