Statement about torque in a system of particles

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the concept of torque in a system of particles as described in Newton's Mechanics. It establishes that it is possible to identify a pair of forces whose torque remains independent of the chosen pole, along with a force that passes through the pole, resulting in zero torque. The conversation highlights that internal forces compatible with Newton's third law yield zero torque, reinforcing the principle that torque is determined by the relative position of forces. The mathematical representation of torque is provided, emphasizing that the difference in position vectors is independent of the reference point.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's Mechanics
  • Familiarity with torque and its mathematical representation
  • Knowledge of vector operations, specifically cross products
  • Concept of internal forces and Newton's third law
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  • Study the mathematical derivation of torque in various reference frames
  • Explore examples of torque in rigid body dynamics
  • Learn about the implications of torque in engineering applications
  • Investigate the relationship between force couples and equilibrium conditions
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Engineering students, physics enthusiasts, and professionals in mechanics who seek to deepen their understanding of torque and its applications in particle systems.

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Hello guys, I’m studying Newton’s Mechanics at the first year of engineering, and I would like to ask one question about torque. In my book I found this statement ‘’ Given a system of particles, it’s always possible to determine a pair of forces which torque is indipedent from the pole chosen, and also a force which pass through the pole ( so its torque is 0 respect to that pole ). Unfortunately there aren't examples or a scratch of demonstration of the statement. I think I got the first part about the two forces, but I'm still a bit confused about the true utility. I know the fact that the torque of internal forces which are compatible with Newton third law is zero, and that's practically a consequence of this statement (because the torque is zero indipendently from the pole)
 
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Two forces of equal magnitude that are opposite in direction and act along different lines are called a couple. Since they are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction they give a net force of zero, but a non-zero torque. This torque is independent from the reference point as, the torque is given by
$$
\vec \tau = \vec x_1 \times \vec F - \vec x_2 \times \vec F = (\vec x_1 - \vec x_2)\times \vec F
$$
and ##\vec x_1 - \vec x_2## is independent of the reference point.

You can summarize the forces acting on a system for any reference point by the total force, acting at that point, and a torque. If the total force is zero then the torque is independent of the reference point, if not it will change when you change reference. The total force is the same regardless of the reference point.
 
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