Moment of a force

Moment of a force: Moment of a force about a fixed point in a rigid body is the rotating effect
produced by it. It is measured by the product of the applied force & the perpendicular distance
between the force & the point of axis of rotation.
If the tendency of a force is to rotate a body in the anticlockwise direction, moment of the
force is taken as positive. If it is in clockwise direction, it is taken negative.
Parallel forces: If the forces acts parallel to each other, it is termed as parallel forces.
If two parallel forces are in the same direction they are called as like parallel forces.
If two parallel forces are in the opposite direction to another, it is called as unlike parallel
forces.

Resultant of two like parallel forces:

P & Q acting on a rigid

body. O is the point in the plane of the force. Let R be the
resultant of P & Q acting at C, A & B
Moment of

P about O

P OA

Moment of

Q about O

Q OB

Consider two like parallel forces

R
R

P & Q about O
P OA Q OB

Algebraic sum of moments of

Moment of R about O
R OC
Then by the varignons law of moments

P OA

Q OB

R OC

R OC

P(OC

AC)

Q (OC

POC

PAC

QOC

QBC

(P

Q)OC

PAC

QBC

Now, taking moments of

P AC

BC)
(1)

P & Q about C we have

Q BC

Substituting this in equation (1) we have

R OC

(P

Q) OC

Thus, the resultant of two like parallel forces is a force equal to the sum of two forces. The
direction of resultant is same as the direction of either of the two forces.

Couple: Two equal unlike parallel forces acting on a body not along the
same straight line constitute a couple.Consider two equal forces

F&
A

F act on the body at A & B. Let C be

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a point between A & B. Here AB is the

arm of the couple.
Moment of acting at A about C

F AC

Moment of acting at B about C

Moment of couple about C is

F BC

F AC
F (AC

F BC
BC)

F (AB)
Thus moment of a couple is the product of one of the forces & the arm of the couple.
Note: 1) Couple produces pure rotational motion.
2) A single force cannot balance a couple.

Conditions of equilibrium of rigid body:

For coplanar forces
1) The algebraic sum of the forces must be zero.
2) The algebraic sum of moments of the forces about any point in their plane must be zero.

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M.N.Sharath kumar