Torque
Identify the torques exerted on a rigid system.
Torque results only from the force component perpendicular to the position vector from the axis of rotation to the point of application of the force.
The lever arm is the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to the line of action of the exerted force.
Describe the torques exerted on a rigid system.
Torques can be described using force diagrams.
Force diagrams are similar to free-body diagrams and are used to analyze the torques exerted on a rigid system.
Similar to free-body diagrams, force diagrams represent the relative magnitude and direction of the forces on a rigid system. Force diagrams also depict the location at which those forces are exerted relative to the axis of rotation.
The torque exerted on a rigid system about a chosen pivot point by a given force is described by
The cross product between two vectors \(\vec{A}\) and \(\vec{B}\) results in a vector quantity of magnitude | | = A B .
The direction of the vector resulting from the cross product of vectors \(\vec{A}\) and \(\vec{B}\) is perpendicular to both vectors \(\vec{A}\) and \(\vec{B}\) and therefore is normal to the plane defined by vectors \(\vec{A}\) and \(\vec{B}\)
The direction of the vector resulting from the cross product of vectors \(\vec{A}\) and \(\vec{B}\) can be qualitatively determined by applying the appropriate right-hand rule.
See also
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