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Re: [Phys-l] 'Torque' question



OK, there's a typo.
Instead of "twice the distance", read "half the distance"!

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Bob Sciamanda" <treborsci@verizon.net>
Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 12:10 PM
To: "Forum for Physics Educators" <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] 'Torque' question

Hi, Hasan
I think you would like to see the working mechanism in terms of the forces
involved.

This would involve an analysis of the forces internal to a rigid body. I
have long been fascinated by the "mystery" of the rigid body - epitomized by
the rigid lever as it "multiplies" an input force to produce a larger output
force across a fulcrum.

To satisfy my curiosity I once used Interactive Physics to model a rigid
lever as a lattice of masses held together by very stiff springs. I then
added a fixed fulcrum, a perpendicular input force F at one end, and an
output load of 2F across the fulcrum at TWICE THE DISTANCE from the fulcrum.

The thing balanced after the oscillations died out (dampers were included in
the springs), and one could read the tensions/compressions in all of the
springs and come away with a visual picture of just how the "magic" of the
rigid body does indeed develop the forces required to enforce the
requirements of our physics!

I am still in awe of the "magic of the rigid body", but at least I now have
some visual appreciation of the mechanism involved.
-Bob

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Fakhruddin, Hasan" <hfakhrud@bsu.edu>
Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2010 9:33 PM
To: "'Forum for Physics Educators'" <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Subject: [Phys-l] 'Torque' question

Greetings folks!



Say a force is applied on an object to rotate it about a hinge. Why does
it get easier (like needing less force) to rotate the object as the force
is applied farther from the hinge?



~ Hasan Fakhruddin

Instructor of Physics

The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities

Ball State University

Muncie, IN 47306

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Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l




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