Physics 211

Lecture 17
Today's Concepts:
Torque due to gravity Static Equilibrium

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 1

I would like to know how torque and statics are going to be combined with rotation problems on the future exams. How does friction provide torque but do no work on rolling objects? Also why is the shortest distance to the force applied the lever arm in torque. can the preflights and prelectures go up earlier? Can we please discuss everything static equilibrium? I am so lost and scared for exam 3. (seriously). If I am in space and traveling at the speed of light, so the light from me does not travel faster than my body, and I hold a mirror in front of me, am I invisible? Maybe it's just because none of the concepts are really new, but I prefer to think it's the masterful prelecture. Either way, these concepts seem very clear. Can we just do a lot of these? They don't seem too bad, but we need to get used to using them. I really like torque. It's my physics happy place. If the Yankees win we should have a pizza party is the person who does the prelectures from Cal Poly? when i refreshed that page, it asked me to log onto a Cal Poly account.

I don't have any questions, but I'd like to point out that physics is the one thing stopping me from pursuing my dream to be a ninja.

New Topic, Old Physics:

Statics:
As the name implies, statics is the study of systems that dont move. Ladders, sign-posts, balanced beams, buildings, bridges...

r r The key equations are familiar to us: F ! ma

r r X ! IE

r r If an object doesnt move: a ! 0 X ! 0

T F ! 0 The net force on the object is zero T X ! 0 The net torque on the object is zero
(for any axis)

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 4

Statics:
Example: What are all of the forces acting on a car parked on a hill?

N f

U mg
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 5

Car on Hill:
Use Newtons 2nd Law: FNET = MACM = 0 MA Resolve this into x and y components:

x:

f - mg sin U = 0 f = mg sin U y x

y:

N - mg cos U = 0 N = mg cos U

N f

U mg
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 6

Torque due to Gravity

Magnitude:

RB
r RCM

X ! Rcm Mg sin( ) ! MgRB

Lever arm

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 7

Example:
Now consider a plank of mass M suspended by two strings as shown. We want to find the tension in each string:

T1

T2 x cm L/2 L/4 y x
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 8

Mg

Balance forces:
T F 0
T1 + T2 = Mg
T1 T2 x cm L/2 L/4 y x
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 9

Mg

Balance torques
T X 0
Choose the rotation axis to be out of the page through the CM:

The torque due to the string on the right about this axis is:

L X 2 ! T2 4
The torque due to the string on the left about this axis is:

T1

T2 x cm L/2 L/4 y x M

L X1 ! T1 2
Mg Gravity exerts no torque about the CM

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 10

Finish the problem

The sum of all torques must be 0:

X1  X 2
T 2 ! 2T1

L L T1  T2 2 4

T1 We already found that T1 + T2 = Mg

T1 ! 1 Mg 3

T2 x cm L/2 L/4 y x
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 11

T2 !

2 Mg 3

Mg

What if you choose a different axis?

T X 0
Choose the rotation axis to be out of the page at the left end of the beam:

The torque due to the string on the right about this axis is:

X2

3L T2 4

T1

T2 x cm L/2 L/4 y x
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 12

The torque due to the string on the left is zero

X1 !
Torque due to gravity:

L X g !  Mg 2

Mg

You end up with the same answer!

The sum of all torques must be 0:

X1  X 2  X g
T2 ! 2 Mg 3

3L L M !0 T2 4 2

T1 We already found that T1 + T2 = Mg L/2

T1 ! 1 Mg 3

T2 x cm L/4 y x
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 13

T2 !

2 Mg 3

Mg

Approach to Statics: Summary

In general, we can use the two equations

T F ! 0
to solve any statics problem.

When choosing axes about which to calculate torque, we can sometimes be clever and make the problem easier....

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 14

Hanging Lamp Again

A lamp of mass m hangs from the end of plank of mass M and length L. One end of the plank is held to a wall by a hinge, and the other end is supported by a massless string that makes an angle U with the plank. a) What is the tension in the string? b) What are the forces supplied by the hinge on the plank?

U

M L m

hinge

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 15

First use the fact that x: y:

F ! 0

in both x and y directions:

T cos U - Fx = 0 T sin U + Fy - Mg - mg = 0
y x T
U

Now use X ! 0 Just to be different, choose the rotation axis to be through the end of the rod. Now mg and T and Fx will not enter into the torque equation:
L L  Mg ! 0 Y 2
m M

Fy Fx

L/2 Mg

L/2

mg
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 16

So we have three equations and three unknowns: T cos U- Fx = 0 T sin U + Fy - Mg - mg = 0 L FY L  Mg ! 0 2 which we can solve to find:
(M / 2  m)g T ! sin(U )
T
U

y x

Fy Fx

(M / 2  m )g Fx ! tan(U ) 1 F y ! mg 2

M m L/2 Mg L/2

mg
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 17

Same as in the pre-lecture preT

U

Fy Fx

m M L/2 mg L/2 y x

Mg

T !

(M / 2  m)g sin(U ) (M / 2  m )g Fx ! tan(U ) 1 ! mg y 2

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 18

Preflight
In case 1 one end of a horizontal massless rod of length L is attached to a vertical wall by a hinge, and the other end holds a ball of mass M. In case 2 the massless rod holds the same ball but is twice as long and makes an angle of 30o with the wall as shown. In which case is the total torque about the hinge biggest? A) Case 1 B) Case 2 C) Both are the same
M gravity

90o M L

30o

Case 1 67% got this right

Case 2
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 19

In which case is the total torque about the hinge biggest? A) Case 1 B) Case 2 C) Both are the same
M Case 1 90o M L Case 2 30o

A) the force of gravity is perpendicular to the rod, which will cause more torque. B) f is the same in both cases, and r is 2L in case 2, so the torque is bigger in case 2. C) The torque is force times its lever arm. In this question, since gravity always point down, the lever will be the horizontal distance between the ball and the wall, which in both case is equal to L.
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 20

Preflight
An object is made by hanging a ball of mass M from one end of a plank having the same mass and length L. The object is then pivoted at a point a distance L/4 from the end of the plank supporting the ball, as shown below. Is the object balanced? A) Yes B) No, it will fall left

C) No, it will fall right

gravity

L/4

L M

62% got this right

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 21

Act
How far to the right of the pivot is the center of mass of just the plank. A) L/4 B) L/2 C) 3L/4

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 22

Is the object balanced? A) Yes B) B) No, it will fall left C) C) No, it will fall right

L/4 M

L/4 x M

A) Ball of mass M balanced at L/4 left of pivot; beam of mass M balanced L/4 right of pivot. So system balanced. B) because part of the plank is on the left side of the pivot so there is more mass on the left side C) The torque is greater on the right because the distance from the center of mass is greater on the right. .

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 23

Preflight
In case 1, one end of a horizontal plank of mass M and length L is attached to a wall by a hinge and the other end is held up by a wire attached to the wall. In case 2 the plank is half the length but has the same mass as in case 1, and the wire makes the same angle with the plank. In which case is the tension in the wire biggest? A) Case 1 B) Case 2 C) Both are the same

gravity M L M L/2

42% got this right

Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 24

Act
Which equation correctly expresses the fact that the total torque about the hinge is zero?

L A) TL sin(U )  Mg 2 L B) TL  Mg ! 0 2

0
T
U

Mg

C) TL  MgL sin(U ) ! 0

The L cancels out:

Mg T s n(U ) ! 2
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 25

In which case is the tension in the wire biggest? A) Case 1 B) Case 2 C) Same

M L

M L/2

A) the force is at a point that is twice the length away so the torque is twice as big B) they both have a net force and torque of zero case two has a shorter lever arm so it needs a bigger force to produce the same torque to cancel out their equal weights. C) The tension will be the same in both cases because T=Mg/2sin(theta), and theta and M are equal in both cases.
Physics 211 Lecture 17, Slide 26