How can you calculate nonequilibrium torque and its effects on an extended body?

[MAins]

Can somebody give an example of nonequilibrium torque and how to go about doing calculations for it? So, for example, for an EQUILIBRIUM problem if you have an aircraft moving with constant velocity there's a drag force in one horizontal direction and a tension opposing it 2 m below the center of mass due to engine thrusters. There's also gravity at the CM and an opposing lift force. If it was nonequilibrium I'm guessing it would be not at constant velocity (would there be any other situation in which it would not be at equilibrum?). If you wish to determine the distance above the CM that the drag force acts, how would the calculations change?


At equilibrium, you set F_y and F_x to 0, and torque to 0 and work from there...

 

[Hootenanny]

Indeed, if there is a non-zero net torque acting on an extended body, then there will be a non-zero angular acceleration.

Have a look at http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/circ.html#rotcon" from Hyperphysics.