Teacher packs in Experimental Science
PHY Pack 7
Determination of the Weight of a meter Rule using the
Principle of Moment
Pack contents:
A. Teacher’s Guide
B. Students Guide
C. Assessment – Student’s sheet
D. Extensions to experiment
E. Useful Links
F. Health and Safety
Curriculum areas covered: Equilibrium of Forces / Principle of Moments
Produced under a DelPHE-funded collaboration between the University of Cape Coast and The Open
University, UK
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
Title: Determination of the Weight of a meter Rule using the Principle of Moment
Target group: Diploma in Basic Education Students
Also suitable for: Senior High Students
Duration of Activity: 50 minutes plus discussion time
Learning outcomes: At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:
1. Knowledge and Understanding KN1 State the Principle of Moments
(KN) KN2 Describe an experiment to determine the
center of gravity of a uniform rod
KN3 Describe the weight of a meter rule using the
principle of moments
KN4 Define moment of a force about a point
2. Cognitive Skills (CS) CS1 Relate the center of gravity of the rule to its
weight
CS2 Relate the mass of an object to its weight.
3. Key Skills (KS) KS1 Make observations and measurements
KS2 Record observations and measurements
KS3 Use the Principle of Moments to compute the
mass of an object
KS4 Do accurate calculations based on principle of
moments
4. Practical Skills (PS) PS1 Balance the meter rule on a knife edge
PS2 Make and record observations and
measurements
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
A. Teacher’s Guide
OVERVIEW
Students are to find the weight of the meter rule using the principle of moments. They will
determine the center of gravity of the meter rule. They will use a known mass to determine the
weight of the meter rule by suspending it at different positions on the rule.
AIM
The experiment is to enable students determine the weight of a meter rule using the principle of
moments.
Practical skills to be developed
Correct balancing of the metre rule on a knife edge.
Equipment / Material
1. Metre Rule.
2. Knife Edge
3. Known masses
4. Thread.
Advice to Tutors
1. Experiment should be repeated using the same mass at different positions
2. Create time to discuss the theory of the experiment.
Sample Assessment Questions with Answers
1. State the principle of moment.
Answer: The Principle of Moments: When a body is in equilibrium, the sum of the anti-
clockwise moment about any point is equal to the sum of the clockwise moments about
that point.
2. A uniform metre rule is freely pivoted at the 15cm mark and it balances horizontally when a
body of mass 40g is hung from the 20cm mark. Draw a clear force diagram of the arrangement
and calculate the mass of the rule.
15 d
Answer: G
Thread
m
Mass Meter rule
40g
Knife edge
d1 Figure 3: Experiment set up for sample
From Eqn. 1.3 m m1 , butquestion.
m1 40 g , d1 15cm , d 20cm
d
15cm
m 40 g 30 g . This implies the mass of the metre rule is 30grammes.
20cm
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
3. A non-uniform rod has a mass of 80g, what is its weight? [Take g=10m/s2]
Answer: 0.08 kg x 10 m s-2 = 0.8 N
4. What do you understand by moment of a force about a point?
Answer: It is the product of the force and the perpendicular distance of its line of action from the
point.
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
B. Student Guide
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to use known masses to determine the mass and
hence the weight of a metre rule by the principle of moments.
Background
The force of gravity acts on all bodies on earth. Every bit of mass in the body has weight. The
whole weight seems to be concentrated inside or outside the body. This point is the centre of
gravity of the body. The weight of a body or object acts through its centre of gravity.
Definition: Centre of gravity of an object is the point through which the total weight of the
body can be considered to act.
The point where the total mass of the body seems to act is the centre of gravity.
The centre of gravity of all bodies can be determined by balancing the body on a knife edge or
by suspension with a plumb line from several points. In most cases, the centre of gravity of a
body lies in the body itself, but in few cases such as the horse-shoe magnet, the retort stand,
Bunsen burner, wine glass and conical flask, the centre of gravity lies outside. For centre of
gravity outside the body itself, the body will balance at any point on it which lies along a vertical
line passing through the centre of the body.
Definition of the Principle of Moments: When a body is in equilibrium, the sum of the anti-
clockwise moment about any point is equal to the sum of the clockwise moments about that
point.
d1 d4
Meter rule
Thread d2 d3
Mass
m1 m2 m3 m4
Knife edge
Figure 1. Principle of moments
Unequal masses m1, m2, m3 and m4 are hung on either side of a rule and their distances d1, d2, d3
and d4 from the knife edge (or pivot) are adjusted until the rule once more comes to rest
horizontally. The weights W1, W2, W3 and W4 of the masses are now exerting equal and opposite
movements about the knife edge or pivot. Making allowance for experimental error, the sum of
the products weight x distance on the right-hand side is equal to the sum of the products weight x
distance on the left-hand side,
W1d1 W2 d 2 W3 d 3 W4 d 4 1.1
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
W is equal to the product of the mass, m and the acceleration due to gravity, g (i.e. W mg ).
Thus it can be shown that
m1d1 m2 d 2 m3 d 3 m4 d 4 1.2
Equipment/ Materials
1. Metre Rule
2. Knife edge (piece of wood)
3. Known Masses
4. Thread
Other requirements
Exercise Books, pencils, pens and Graph book.
d1 d
G
Thread
m
Mass Meter rule
m1
Knife edge
Figure 2: Experiment set up
Experimental Procedure
1. Determine the position of the centre of gravity, G of the metre rule by balancing on a knife
edge.
2. Tie a known mass, m1 to the thread and hang it at one end of the rule.
3. Adjust the position of the rule such that another balance is obtained.
4. Read and record the values d1 and d as shown in the Fig 2 above.
5. Repeat the experiment by shifting the mass m1 to different positions and balance the metre
rule again.
6. Tabulate your results as shown below.
Table 1: Table of results
d1/cm d/cm
7. Plot a graph of d1 against d.
8. Find the slope of the graph.
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
9. The equation relating d1 to d is derived from Eq. 1.2 and is given as
m
d1 d 1.3
m1
Find the mass m, of the meter rule.
10. What is the weight, W of the meter rule? [g=10m/s2]
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
C. Assessment – Student’s sheet
On completion of the experiment, you should answer the following questions:
A. State the principle of moment. (KN1)
B. A uniform metre rule is freely pivoted at the 15cm mark and it balances horizontally
when a body of mass 40g is hung from the 2cm mark. Draw a clear force diagram of
the arrangement and calculate the mass of the rule. (KS4)
C. A non-uniform rod has a mass of 80g, what is its weight? [take g=10m/s2]
(CS2)
D. What do you understand by moment of a force about a point? (KN4)
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project
PHY Pack 4 – Principle of Moments
D. Extensions to experiment
The experiment can also be performed using a metre rule and different masses. A graph of m1
against d/d1 is plotted from the recorded values and its slope is determined. The value of the
slope is the mass of the rule which when multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity, gives the
weight of the rule.
E. References and Other Useful Links
1. Abbot A. F. (1980), Ordinary Level Physics, 3rd Edition, Heinemann Books International,
London.
2. Nelkon M. and Parker P., (1987), Advanced Level Physics, Heinemann Educational
Publishers, London.
F. Health and Safety
Ensure proper handling of equipment to avoid breakages.
Produced by the Physics Group University of Cape Coast as part of a DelPHE funded project