Moment of a Force: How to Find an Unknown Force on a Pivoted Metre Stick

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In summary, a metre stick is pivoted at 50cm and is in equilibrium. A 2.0N upwards force at the 5.0cm mark and a 12N downwards force at the 40cm mark are present, with an unknown force F acting at the 75cm mark. By calculating the moments of the leftmost forces, it can be determined that F must be 2N in order to maintain equilibrium.
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Rumplestiltskin
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Homework Statement


A metre stick is pivoted at 50cm and is in equilibrium.
There is a 2.0N upwards force at the 5.0cm mark, and a 12N downwards force at the 40cm mark. Force F acts at the 75cm mark. Find force F. Assume the upwards direction is positive.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution



The leftmost upwards force: 2 x 0.45 = 0.9 Nm (as the force would be 45cm from the pivot)
The leftmost downwards force: 12 x 0.1 = 1.2 Nm
Resultant leftmost force: 0.9 - 1.2 = -0.3 Nm

Force F acts 0.15 m from the pivot, therefore: F x 0.15 m = 0.3 Nm. (resultant would be positive in order to counterbalance).
Rearranging for F, 0.3/0.15 = 2 N. The programme marks this as incorrect.
 
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  • #2
Rumplestiltskin said:
A metre stick is pivoted at 50cm and is in equilibrium.
Force F acts at the 75cm mark.
Force F acts 0.15 m from the pivot
See anything strange going on there?
 
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  • #3
Fightfish said:
See anything strange going on there?

Nope. The stick is pivoted at 0.5m. If the force acts at the 0.75m mark, it is acting 0.15m away from the pivot.

EDIT: Ugh, I'm an idiot. Thanks!
 
  • #4
Rumplestiltskin said:
Nope. The stick is pivoted at 0.5m. If the force acts at the 0.75m mark, it is acting 0.15m away from the pivot.
EDIT: Ugh, I'm an idiot. Thanks!
Haha, when I saw your reply earlier without the edit, I was like, "huh"? xD
 

Related to Moment of a Force: How to Find an Unknown Force on a Pivoted Metre Stick

What is a moments metre stick?

A moments metre stick is a tool used to measure the turning effect or moment of a force. It consists of a long stick with a pivot point and a scale marked in units of distance.

How do you use a moments metre stick?

To use a moments metre stick, place the pivot point at the point where the force is applied and measure the distance from the pivot point to the point of application. Multiply this distance by the magnitude of the force to calculate the moment.

What is the unit of measurement for moments metre stick?

The unit of measurement for moments metre stick is newton-metres (Nm) or joules (J), which represents the product of the force and distance.

What is the principle behind using a moments metre stick?

The principle behind using a moments metre stick is based on the concept of torque, which is the rotating effect of a force. The longer the distance from the pivot point to the point of application, the greater the moment or torque.

What are some real-life applications of moments metre stick?

Moments metre stick is commonly used in physics experiments to demonstrate the concept of torque. It is also used in engineering and construction to calculate the stability and balance of structures. In daily life, it can be seen in tools such as wrenches and see-saws.

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