Torque Equilibrium-illustration attached

[PoPrOcKsRoCk]

Homework Statement

Is the object in equilibrium? To answer that question calculate the total torque about a point where 100 N force is applied. (x=1.95 m. y=1.06 m, F1=38 N, F2=52 N.)

Homework Equations

T=Fr sin(theta)

The Attempt at a Solution

I used the above equation to find the T1 and T2 but it is telling me I am wrong.

T1=38*1.95m T2=52*1.06
T1=74.1 N*m T2=55.12 N*m

Then I added these two torques for the net torque and got 129.22 N*m but it keeps coming up wrong. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[PhanthomJay]

Homework Statement

Is the object in equilibrium? To answer that question calculate the total torque about a point where 100 N force is applied. (x=1.95 m. y=1.06 m, F1=38 N, F2=52 N.)

Homework Equations

T=Fr sin(theta)

The Attempt at a Solution

I used the above equation to find the T1 and T2 but it is telling me I am wrong.

T1=38*1.95m T2=52*1.06
T1=74.1 N*m T2=55.12 N*m

Then I added these two torques for the net torque and got 129.22 N*m but it keeps coming up wrong. Am I doing something wrong?

Yes, you are adding the 2 torques together, but one torque acts clockwise, the other acts counterclockwise.

 

[PoPrOcKsRoCk]

At the pivot though the angle is 90 degrees. So how would you determine which is clockwise and which is counterclockwise?

 

[PhanthomJay]

At the pivot though the angle is 90 degrees. So how would you determine which is clockwise and which is counterclockwise?

imagine F1 acting alone, upwards. It would tend to rotate the object clockwise like the minute hand of a grandfather clock. Imagine F2 alone, acting up, that upward force would tend to rotate the object the other way (counterclockwise). If you can't visualize this, try the 'right hand rule'. Place your four fingers in line with the force, and curl your fingers toward the pivot, The direction of the curl is ccw or cw (thumb points out or thumb points in). For F2, this is relatively easy to do. For F1, you might strain your wrist.

 

[PoPrOcKsRoCk]

ok thank you I got it.