WATER INSTITUTE
WST05105
engineering mechanics
lecture three
An introduction to moments and
mechanical forces of rotation
• Forces can cause an object to rotate and the
turning effect of the force is called a moment.
• If a resultant force acts on an object about a fixed
turning point (the pivot) it will cause the object to
rotate e.g. turning a nut with a spanner, applying a
screwdriver, opening a door fixed on hinges. The
pivot might also be called the fulcrum.
• M = F x d, where M = the moment of a force (Nm),
F = force applied (N)
• and d (m) is the perpendicular distance from the
pivot point to the line of action of the force.
• You get the maximum moment by pushing/pulling
the spanner at a right angle (at 90o) to the line (d)
between the pivot point and the line of action where
the force is applied.
Situation A
• With the longer spanner, and applying the force perpendicular
(at 90o) to the line from the point of applying the force (end of
'handle') to the pivot point (centre of the nut or bolt), you
generate the maximum moment (F x d).
• The perpendicular distance d, is the shortest distance
between the pivot and the line of action of the force
Situation B
• If you apply the force at any other angle than at 90o to the
perpendicular distance line (d), d will always be shorter and
hence a smaller moment is generated by applying the same
force as in situation A.
• Note that when the line of action of the force is down the
'spine' of the spanner, d is zero and the moment is zero.
Moment calculations and a balancing
situation (equilibrium)
The left diagram illustrates a balanced situation
(equilibrium) where a ruler is pivoted in the middle
and two weights w1 and w2 are placed at distances
d1 and d2 from the pivot point. Remember weight =
force in newtons.
• The weights hang vertically so the force due to
gravity is acting perpendicularly (at 90o) to the ruler
• For the ruler to be balanced in a perfect horizontal
position the two turning forces must be equal.
• Here we use the terms clockwise moment and
anticlockwise moment for the two turning effects
of the forces involved.
• anticlockwise moment = w1 x d1 (left-hand side of
pivot), clockwise moment = w2 x d2 (right-hand side
of pivot)
• so when w1d1 = w2d2
• the ruler is balanced horizontally, at equilibrium
when the turning effects of the forces are equal.
• This situation conforms with the principle of
moments which states that when the total sum of
the anti clockwise moments is equal to the total
sum of the clockwise moments the system is in
equilibrium and the object (system) will NOT
turn. When a system is stable (no movement) or
balanced it is said to be in equilibrium as all the
forces acting on the system cancel each other out.
This calculation is the sort of thing civil engineers and architects
have to consider in the construction of 'modern' buildings.
A 5.0 m aluminium beam is suspended by a steel cable from a concrete
beam and 3.0 m along rests on a steel pole.
Assuming gravitational field force is 9.8 N/kg, calculate T, the tension in
newtons on the supporting steel cable.
The weight of the aluminium beam = 9.8 x 200 = 1960 N.
moment = force x perpendicular distance from turning point
SIMPLE LEVERS
• Example. Find the tension required in the operating
wire to raise the signal through the system of levers
as shown in Fig. 3.17. All dimensions are in mm.
• Example. Fig. 3.18 shows a crank-lever ABC with a
tension spring (T). The lever weighs 0.2 N/mm.
• Example. The lever ABC of a component of a machine is
hinged at B, and is subjected to a system of coplaner
forces as shown in Fig. 3.19. Neglecting †friction, find the
magnitude of the force (P) to keep the lever in equilibrium.