How to Calculate Torque for Car Wheels

  • Thread starter Thread starter hun_nomin
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Car Torque
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the torque exerted by a car around its rear wheels when the car is jacked up at an angle. The problem involves understanding the car's dimensions, mass, and the location of its center of mass.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the importance of identifying the pivot point for torque calculation and suggest visualizing the problem through diagrams. Questions arise regarding the placement of the jack and the forces acting on the car.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered hints regarding assumptions about the jack's position and the nature of the forces involved. There is an ongoing exploration of the problem without a clear consensus on the approach to take.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the absence of specific information regarding the jack's distance from the rear wheels, which is crucial for solving the problem. The original poster expresses frustration with the problem's complexity, indicating it hinders their progress on other tasks.

hun_nomin
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
A mechanic jacks up a car to an angle of 8 degress to change the front tires. The car is 3.05 m long and has a mass of 1130 kg. Its center of mass is located 1.12 m from the front end. The rear wheels are .4 m from the back end. Calculate the torque exerted by the car around the back weels.

The answer is 1.68 times 10 to the 4

But i can't figure out how to get the to the answer. I'm not sure where i can put the pivot point... the distance of the jack is unavailable. this problem is keeping me from doing any other problems...help.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The first thing to do is draw a picture of the problem.
 
You can determine the point of pivot by the thought experiment "What would happen if the jack were to sudently disapear? Namely, around what point in the car would the car "rotate"? Or even, what is the only point in the car that would remain still after the jack is removed?"

The mention of the jack is superfial; it is only to give a context to the problem.
 
Hints:

1) You'll have to assume that the jack is at the very front of the car.
2) There is only one force acting. However, you are interested in one of the components of that force. Which one should you be looking at?
3) The pivot point is the rear wheels.
 

Similar threads

Forces when car wheels "lay rubber"
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
How to find the normal force of a car jack lifting a car
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
5K
When calculating a car's acceleration, is it ok to substitute Torque?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
Solving acceleration of a car with torques
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Accelerating a car including the moment of inertia of the wheels
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
12K
Where can I find the following coefficients for a car?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Determine if a car can pop a wheelie?
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K
Calculating max acceleration of a Tesla car
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
2 Masses and a Wheel (with mass)
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
1K
What is the torque exerted by a stationary car on its rear wheels?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K