The problem involves calculating the z component of torque relative to a specific position, given several forces acting on a system. The forces have a defined magnitude, and the problem specifies distances related to the setup.
Some participants have offered insights into the calculation of torque using the cross product and the importance of considering the z component. There is ongoing exploration of how to correctly apply the forces and distances to find the torque for each force, with no clear consensus on the correct approach yet.
Participants note that the problem asks for the torque for each individual force before considering the net torque, leading to confusion about the calculations required. There is mention of the right-hand rule and the sign convention for torque direction, which may influence the interpretation of results.
LowlyPion said:T = r X F
So you want to figure the force acting at a perpendicular to the point at interest.
In this case your r X F1 will equal |F1|*h, where h is the distance at which it is acting ⊥ to a line through A.
magma_saber said:i tried that, its wrong. it says the z component. would that make a difference?
magma_saber said:it asks just for the torque for each force that is applied, i.e. F1, F2, F3, ect. After that, it asks for the net torque. for F1 i tried F*h and it was wrong. Would it be F*h*w, since the tail starts at w?