Identifying Equivalent Force in New Location: Examples & Solutions

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter tomallan
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Equivalent Force
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
Sign up Log in
1 reply · 2K views
tomallan
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
hello. thanks for viewing my post. I want to know if there is a way to identify an equivalent force if I transfer the original force to a new location. is that possible? ill give an example.
position of original force ----------(known distance)--------------------- desired new position of force


do you need to use moments or equilibrium equations. or is it even possible?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It's not possible to answer that without more details of the situation. For example:

If this was the force needed to push a car along a road it might be the same in both places.

If this was the force needed to balance a seesaw (teeter-totter) then it might depend on the position of the force relative to the pivot.

Usually it is possible to calculate the equivalent force. If you wish to apply a torque to a wheel nut you can do it with a short or long wrench. It's relatively easy calculate the different force required on the end of each wrench to achieve the same torque.