Torque on a sign driving down a road

In summary, the question asks for the torque experienced by a sign on a truck due to a crosswind. The sign is actually two identical boxes placed side by side, with dimensions of 41"x96"x8". The surface area of the sign perpendicular to the wind is 3936 in^2 or 2.53934976 m^2, and its volume is 54,528 in^3 or 0.893553826 m^3. The formula used to calculate the torque is Torque = r*F, where r is the distance from the force to the point of attachment and F is the force of air on the sign. The force of air is calculated using the formula P=1/2(density
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fisselt
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Homework Statement


A sign is on a truck traveling 55mp/h (88 km/h). There is a crosswind on the truck of 40 mp/h (64.37 km/h). What is the torque experienced by the sign from the crosswind?

The sign is actually 2 boxes sitting side by side with identical dimensions. Following dimensions are for just one piece of the sign. Dimension of the sign perpendicular to wind is 41"x96"x8". Surface area of sign perpendicular to wind is 3936 in^2 or 2.53934976 m^2. The volume of the sign is 54,528 (in^3) or 0.893553826 m^3.

Homework Equations


torque=r*F
P=1/2(density air)(v^2 wind)(drag coefficient)

The Attempt at a Solution


I know I need the force of air on the sign. I have discounted the second part of the sign for this since I don't see how it is relevant (especially since they are not attached in my picture from my teacher). For this I used P=1/2(density air)(v^2 wind)(drag coefficient). That is P=1/2(1.25kg/m^3)(64.37)^2(1.05)= 2719.17 N/m^2. So, that force times surface area 2.5393 m^2 is 6904.788 Newtons.

Having that Torque=r* 6904.788 N. Can I say r is the average distance from the force on the sign to the point at which it is attached to the truck? I have no such attachment in my drawing so I'll just say center of the sign. That is 20.5" or 0.5207 m.
So, Torque= .5207 m*6904.788 N. Which is 3595.32 Nm.

For the second half of the sign: It is a mirror copy of the other. It only has only whatever fraction of wind went around the first half that will hit it, maybe 30%.. and that would likely be at a reduced velocity. So, I would just add 30% to the final torque value. If I knew exactly how much force was left in the wind and what % of wind was hitting the second half I could get a good number here. Let me know if I need to make a drawing for this since I don't know if I'm describing it very well. Thanks
 
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So can someone say if I'm doing this correctly or was my description terrible?
 

Related to Torque on a sign driving down a road

What is torque on a sign driving down a road?

Torque on a sign driving down a road refers to the rotational force applied to the sign as a result of its movement along the road. It is a measure of how much the sign is rotating around its axis.

What factors influence torque on a sign?

The factors that influence torque on a sign include the weight and shape of the sign, the speed at which it is traveling, and any external forces such as wind or uneven terrain.

How is torque calculated?

Torque is calculated by multiplying the force applied to an object by the distance between the point of application and the axis of rotation. In the case of a sign driving down a road, the force would be the weight of the sign and the distance would be the distance between the sign's center of mass and the point where it is attached to the road.

Why is torque important for signs on the road?

Torque is important for signs on the road because it helps to keep the sign stable and prevents it from falling or tipping over. It also allows the sign to withstand external forces such as wind without being blown off its mount.

How can torque on a sign be minimized?

To minimize torque on a sign, the weight of the sign can be reduced or the distance between the sign's center of mass and the point of attachment to the road can be increased. Additionally, using a more aerodynamic shape for the sign can also reduce the effects of wind and decrease torque.

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