AP Physics 1 : Torque

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Physics 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #1091 : Ap Physics 1

Terry is pushing a vertical lever that is attached to the floor, and he pushes \displaystyle 1.5m above the point of rotation. If he pushes with a force of \displaystyle 100N at an angle of \displaystyle 60^{\text o} from the ground, what is the magnitude of torque that he is applying to the lever's hinge?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 75Nm

\displaystyle 150Nm

\displaystyle 86.6Nm

\displaystyle 129.9Nm

\displaystyle 900Nm

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 75Nm

Explanation:

Magnitude of torque can be found by relating the amount of force applied perpendicular to a lever arm about a point of rotation.

\displaystyle \tau=rF

In this case, the force is not perpendicular, so we must take the perpendicular aspect of the force to find torque.

\displaystyle \tau=rFsin\theta

Plug in and solve.

\displaystyle \tau=1.5m(100N)sin(30^{\text o})

\displaystyle \tau=75Nm

Example Question #11 : Torque

From the given force and position vector, calculate the torque experienced by an object.

\displaystyle \vec{F}=-2\hat{j} (N),\vec{r}=\left( 5\hat{i}+\hat{j}\right ) (m)

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle +2

\displaystyle -10 \hat{k}

\displaystyle +10 \hat{k}

\displaystyle -2

\displaystyle -10 \hat{i}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle -10 \hat{k}

Explanation:

To calculate the torque experienced by the object, we must take the cross product of the force vector and the position vector.

\displaystyle \vec{\tau}=\vec{r}\times\vec{F} = \begin{vmatrix} \hat{i}& \hat{j} & \hat{k}\\ r_x&r_y &r_z \\ F_x&F_y &F_z \end{vmatrix}= \hat{i}\left(r_yF_z-r_zF_y \right )-\hat{j}\left(r_xF_z-r_zF_x \right )+\hat{k}\left( r_xF_y-r_yF_x\right )

\displaystyle =-10\hat{k} Nm

Example Question #11 : Torque

You apply a force of \displaystyle 10 N to a wrench of length \displaystyle .15 meters. Determine the torque experienced by the bolt on the other end. Assume the force you apply is perpendicular to the wrench.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0 Newton\cdot Meters

\displaystyle 15 Newton\cdot Meters

None of these

\displaystyle 3.5 Newton\cdot Meters

\displaystyle 1.5 Newton\cdot Meters

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1.5 Newton\cdot Meters

Explanation:

The definition of torque is

\displaystyle T=F\cdot d\cdot sin(\theta)

 Where

\displaystyle F is the force

\displaystyle d is the distance

Theta is the angle between the direction of the force and the distance.

 

In this case, \displaystyle \theta =90^{\circ}, so \displaystyle sin(\theta)=1 .

 

Plugging in our remaining values:

 

\displaystyle T=10N\cdot.15\cdot1

 

\displaystyle 1.5 Newton\cdot Meters=T

Example Question #11 : Torque

There is a steel disk of radius \displaystyle 1m and uniformly distributed mass \displaystyle 75kg. Assuming that it is perfectly balanced on it's center, determine how much torque would be needed to accelerate it to \displaystyle \frac{2\pi radian}{s} in \displaystyle 2.5 s.

Assume \displaystyle I=.5mr^2

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 56.4 N\cdot m

\displaystyle 128.8N\cdot m

\displaystyle 78.2N\cdot m

\displaystyle 102.4N\cdot m

\displaystyle 94.2N\cdot m

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 94.2N\cdot m

Explanation:

\displaystyle \Delta L=\tau*\Delta t

\displaystyle \Delta L=L_f-L_i

Initial angular momentum is zero

\displaystyle \Delta L=L_f

Combine equations:

\displaystyle L_f=\tau*\Delta t

Solve for \displaystyle \tau

\displaystyle \frac{L_f}{\Delta t}=\tau

Definition of \displaystyle L:

\displaystyle L=I\omega

\displaystyle I=.5mr^2

Combine equations:

\displaystyle L=.5mr^2\omega

\displaystyle \frac{.5mr^2\omega_f}{\Delta t}=\tau

Plug in values:

\displaystyle \frac{.5*75*1^2*2\pi}{2.5}=\tau

\displaystyle 94.2N\cdot m

Example Question #11 : Torque

A force \displaystyle F is applied to the edge opposite the doorhinge of a door of radius \displaystyle R perpendicular to the door to produce a torque \displaystyle \tau. Suppose now that the force is doubled, but now acts at a point \displaystyle \frac{3R}{4} from the doorhinge at an angle of \displaystyle 30^{\circ} to the door. 

What is the resulting torque in terms of \displaystyle \tau?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{3\sqrt{3}}{4}\tau

\displaystyle \frac{4}{3}\tau

\displaystyle \frac{3}{4}\tau

\displaystyle \frac{3}{2}\tau

\displaystyle 2\tau

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{3}{4}\tau

Explanation:

The torque \displaystyle \tau is produced by a force \displaystyle F acting at a radius \displaystyle R. Since the force and the radius are perpendicular, then the torque equation gives us:

 \displaystyle \tau=RF\sin(90^{\circ})=RF

The new torque, which we will call \displaystyle \tau_n is produced by a force of \displaystyle 2F acting at a radius of \displaystyle \frac{3R}{4} at an angle of . Thus the torque equation gives us:

\displaystyle \tau_n=(2F)(\frac{3R}{4})\sin(30^\circ)=(2F)(\frac{3R}{4})(\frac{1}{2})=\frac{3}{4}RF

Since \displaystyle \tau=RF, plugging this in to the above gives us \displaystyle \tau_n=\frac{3}{4}\tau

Example Question #11 : Torque

Find the torque \displaystyle \tau on a rod that's \displaystyle 5m in length that's hit by a \displaystyle 2N force at a \displaystyle 90^o angle.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5J

\displaystyle 0J

\displaystyle 7J

\displaystyle 10J

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 10J

Explanation:

Torque is given by:

\displaystyle \tau=rFsin(\theta), where \displaystyle r is the length of the rod from the pivot point, \displaystyle F is the force acting on the rod, and \displaystyle \theta is the angle. Since we have all of these components, we can plug in and solve:

\displaystyle \tau=2N*5m*sin(90^o)=10J

Example Question #11 : Torque

Consider the following system:

 

Spinning rod with masses at end

Two spherical masses, A and B, are attached to the end of a rigid rod with length l. The rod is attached to a fixed point, p, which is at a height, h, above the ground. The rod spins around the fixed point in a vertical circle that is traced in grey. \displaystyle \angle c is the angle at which the rod makes with the horizontal at any given time (\displaystyle c=0^{\circ} in the figure).

If the rod is spinning clockwise and has a velocity of \displaystyle 4\frac{m}{s}  when passing through the horizontal. At what value of \displaystyle \angle c is the net torque on the system 0? Neglect air resistance and internal friction forces.

\displaystyle m_A = 3kg, m_B = 1kg, l = 1m, h = 10m

\displaystyle g = 10\frac{m}{s^2}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 0^{\circ}

\displaystyle 90^{\circ}

\displaystyle 60^{\circ}

\displaystyle 30^{\circ}

\displaystyle 45^{\circ}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 90^{\circ}

Explanation:

A system will only have a net torque of 0 when it has no net force or the net force goes through its center of gravity. The only forces applied in this system is from gravity. Therefore, we need to find the orientation at which all gravitational force goes through point p. This occurs when the rod is oriented vertically, thus \displaystyle \angle c = 90^{\circ}

Note: \displaystyle \angle c=270^{\circ} will also result in a net torque of 0. At this orientation, the rod is also vertical with the masses in swapped positions.

Example Question #11 : Torque

A man is tightening a bolt with a wrench. At what angle (with the wrench being the horizontal axis) and at what distance from the bolt should the man push for maximum torque?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 90^{\circ} in the middle of the wrench

\displaystyle 45^{\circ} in the middle of the wrench

\displaystyle 90^{\circ} at the end furthest from the bolt

\displaystyle 45^{\circ} at the end furthest from the bolt

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 90^{\circ} at the end furthest from the bolt

Explanation:

The equation for torque is \displaystyle rFsin\theta. Looking at this equation we can infer that the maximum distance from the center would give maximum torque. Also, any angle besides \displaystyle 90^{\circ} or \displaystyle 270^{\circ} will give an absolute value of a number below one, giving us a smaller torque.

Example Question #11 : Torque

A simple pendulum with length \displaystyle L = 4\textup{ m} with a block of mass \displaystyle m = 2\textup{ kg} attached to one end is initially at rest in the horizontal position. At time \displaystyle t = 0, the pendulum is released and allowed to rotate freely. What is the torque torque applied on the pendulum at \displaystyle t = 2\textup{ s}?

\displaystyle g = 10\ \frac{\textup{m}}{\textup{s}^2}

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 30\textup{ N}\cdot \textup{m}

\displaystyle 18\textup{ N}\cdot \textup{m}

\displaystyle 37\textup{ N}\cdot \textup{m}

\displaystyle 80\textup{ N}\cdot \textup{m}

\displaystyle 66\textup{ N}\cdot \textup{m}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 80\textup{ N}\cdot \textup{m}

Explanation:

To calculate the torque on the pendulum, we need to know the position of the pendulum. We can find this using the following expression:

\displaystyle \theta = \theta _{max}cos\left ( \sqrt{\frac{L}{g}}t\right )

Note that we are using the cosine function because the pendulum begins at it's maximum angle. Plugging in our values:

\displaystyle \theta =90^{\circ}cos\left ( \sqrt{\frac{(4m)}{\left ( 10\frac{m}{s^2}\right )}}(2s)\right )

\displaystyle \theta = 90^{\circ}

The pendulum is still horizontal, but now on the other side. Now we can directly calculate the torque placed on the pendulum

\displaystyle \tau = F\cdot r

Where the radius is the length of the pendulum and the force is the weight of the block (since the pendulum is horizontal).

\displaystyle \tau = mgL

\displaystyle \tau = (2kg)\left ( 10\frac{m}{s^2}\right )(4m)

\displaystyle \tau = 80N\cdot m

Example Question #1101 : Ap Physics 1

Suppose that a force is enacted upon a bar that can rotate at its end. Assuming that each case shows the same magnitude of force, which of the following shows a situation that generates the greatest amount of torque?

Possible Answers:

All of these exhibit the same amount of net torque

Vt physics 11 26 15 torque 3

Vt physics 11 26 15 torque 1

Vt physics 11 26 15 torque 4

Vt physics 11 26 15 torque 2

Correct answer:

Vt physics 11 26 15 torque 1

Explanation:

For this question, we're given a number of scenarios in which an equal magnitude of force is applied to a rotating bar at a variety of different orientations and locations on the bar. We're then asked to identify which one would generate the most amount of torque.

First, let's recall that torque is a twisting force. That is, it is a force that causes an object to rotate about a pivot point, such as a sea-saw. We can write an expression for torque as follows.

\displaystyle \tau=Frsin(\Theta )

Where \displaystyle F is the magnitude of the applied force, \displaystyle r is the distance of the applied force from the pivot point, and \displaystyle \Theta is the angle between the applied force vector and the surface upon which the force is being applied.

Sometimes, the equation for torque is also expressed as follows.

\displaystyle \tau=Fl

Where \displaystyle l stands for the lever arm, which takes into account both \displaystyle r and \displaystyle \Theta. Thus, for any given magnitude of force, the torque will be the highest when \displaystyle r is greater and when \displaystyle \Theta approaches \displaystyle 90^{o}.

With this expression in mind, we can look at each image and make a qualitative assessment of which one will have the greatest torque. We're looking for a diagram in which the force vector is furthest from the pivot point, and is also oriented as close to \displaystyle 90^{o} with respect to the surface of the rotating object. This situation is described by the following picture, thus making it the correct answer.

Vt physics 11 26 15 torque 1

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