- #1
kusiobache
- 29
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So, I was just chopping the wood, and the way I do it is this : I get the axe wedged in the wood (duh), but instead of going all the way through like that, I get out a hammer and use it on the axe (which applies a downward force), and thus the wood is split. (I may draw a picture if this is hard to understand)
Now my question is this, it is torque because the hammer applies a downward force, which is perpindicular to the level arm (the axes handle). Thus, it is torque.
Torque is [tex]\tau[/tex]=r x F right?
Now, sometimes when i hit the axe w/ the hammer I hold the axe very close to where the hammer strikes (short lever arm), and other times I keep it far away (long lever arm).
Now, by the torque equation I should feel more force when my hands are further away (and I believe this is true because it is much harder to hold onto the axe).
However, my hands hurt more if I keep my hands closer to the area of impact. That is, my hands hurt more when there is a SHORT lever arm. I'm wondering why this is? If the force increases w/ the length of the level arm wouldn't my hands hurt more then?
I'm probably just forgetting a factor, but I'm not sure. If I had to guess, I would say that it is because when the lever arm is longer I can't quite hold onto the axe. If I let go earlier I the time over which the force is felt would be less and thus I would feel less force with the longer lever arm. Basically, just human error. I'm just wondering if my guess is correct?
EDIT: and I know that there are a ton of different reasons that this could possibly happen, I was just wondering if my guess is feasible? And maybe what other reasons there could be for it.
Now my question is this, it is torque because the hammer applies a downward force, which is perpindicular to the level arm (the axes handle). Thus, it is torque.
Torque is [tex]\tau[/tex]=r x F right?
Now, sometimes when i hit the axe w/ the hammer I hold the axe very close to where the hammer strikes (short lever arm), and other times I keep it far away (long lever arm).
Now, by the torque equation I should feel more force when my hands are further away (and I believe this is true because it is much harder to hold onto the axe).
However, my hands hurt more if I keep my hands closer to the area of impact. That is, my hands hurt more when there is a SHORT lever arm. I'm wondering why this is? If the force increases w/ the length of the level arm wouldn't my hands hurt more then?
I'm probably just forgetting a factor, but I'm not sure. If I had to guess, I would say that it is because when the lever arm is longer I can't quite hold onto the axe. If I let go earlier I the time over which the force is felt would be less and thus I would feel less force with the longer lever arm. Basically, just human error. I'm just wondering if my guess is correct?
EDIT: and I know that there are a ton of different reasons that this could possibly happen, I was just wondering if my guess is feasible? And maybe what other reasons there could be for it.
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