Moments - How are they actually calculated?

  • Thread starter 012anonymousx
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Moments
  • #1
012anonymousx
47
0
Moments -- How are they actually calculated?

Hello, I have a question.

Is the moment calculated:

Force times the distance or

Force's perpendicular component (to axis) times the distance.

For example, let's say I have a stick.

Pulling on it is not moment.

So if I push at the stick to an angle, the way I calculate the force that the other side is applying is by taking the perpendicular component of my Fa and multiplying it by the distance.

Is that correct?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Yes, when you are calculating moments, you would use the perpendicular component. The parallel component will not produce any moment as the perpendicular distance is zero.
 
  • Like
Likes 1 person
  • #3
Mathematically, a moment is ##\vec{l} = \vec{r} \times \vec{f}##. The magnitude comes out as ##l = rf\sin\theta##, where ##\theta## is the angle between the position vector and the force vector. This is equivalent to saying that it is the perpendicular component of the force.
 
  • Like
Likes 1 person
  • #4
Thank you!
 

Similar threads

Replies
49
Views
4K
Replies
138
Views
6K
Replies
17
Views
1K
Replies
34
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
1K
Replies
7
Views
659
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
66
Views
5K
Back
Top