All Flashcards
What is torque?
The rotational equivalent of force; a measure of how much a force causes an object to rotate.
Define lever arm.
The perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to the line of action of the force.
What is the relationship between torque and lever arm?
A longer lever arm results in more torque for the same applied force.
What is the formula for the magnitude of torque?
, where r is the distance from the axis of rotation, F is the force, and θ is the angle between the force and position vector.
What condition maximizes torque?
Torque is maximized when the force is applied at a 90° angle to the lever arm.
What is the difference between force and torque?
Force: A linear push or pull. | Torque: A rotational force that causes objects to spin.
What is the difference between the lever arm and the distance from the axis of rotation to the point of force application?
Lever arm: The perpendicular distance. | Distance: The direct distance, which may not be perpendicular and thus not used directly in torque calculation.
What is the effect of increasing the lever arm on the torque?
Increasing the lever arm increases the torque, assuming the force remains constant.
What happens to the torque when the force is parallel to the position vector?
The torque is zero because .
What is the effect of applying a force at a 90-degree angle to the lever arm?
It maximizes the torque, as all the force contributes to rotation.
What happens if the net torque on an object is zero?
The object is in rotational equilibrium (it's either not rotating or rotating at a constant angular velocity).
What is the effect of increasing the applied force on the torque?
Increasing the applied force increases the torque, assuming the lever arm and angle remain constant.