ROTATIONAL MOTION

Torque
Center of Mass
Prepared and presented by:
Jose Marie C. Malgapo, ECE, LPT
At the end of the lesson, you are able to:
• define, describe and analyze torque;
• derive the relationship between applied torque
and angular acceleration;
• solve rotational problems involving torque; and
• identify and solve the center of mass of an object.

INTENDED LEARNING
OUTCOME/s (ILOs)
 ROTATIONAL MOTION
means that all points in the body
move in circles, and that the centers
of these circles all lie on a line called
axis of rotation
 How do you start the
rotation of an object?

That is, how do you

increase its angular
velocity?
 𝐹2
𝑂

Axis of 𝐹1
Rotation

Note: 𝐹3
the magnitude of
𝐹1 , 𝐹2 , and 𝐹3 are
the same.
 𝐹1
Axis of
Rotation
∆𝜃1

Note:
the magnitude of
𝐹1 , 𝐹2 , and 𝐹3 are
the same.
 𝐹2
∆𝜃2 < ∆𝜃1
Axis of
Rotation ∆𝜃2

Note:
the magnitude of
𝐹1 , 𝐹2 , and 𝐹3 are
the same.
 ∆𝜃3 = 0
Axis of
Rotation ∆𝜃3

Note: 𝐹3
the magnitude of
𝐹1 , 𝐹2 , and 𝐹3 are
the same.
 𝐹2
𝑂

Axis of 𝐹1
Rotation

What is it about the force

you apply to the handle of 𝐹3
the wrench that makes the
wheel turn?
 Torque
or

Moment
Physical meaning of Torque (𝝉)
a quantitative measure of the
tendency of a force to cause
or change rotational motion
around a chosen axis.
It is symbolized as the
Greek letter 𝝉 (tau).

It is the turning effect of a force

about the axis of rotation.
Physical meaning of Torque (𝝉)
The tendency to cause
rotation depends on:
Magnitude of force
and
perpendicular distance
between the line of action of
the force (i.e., the line along
which the force vector lies) moment/lever arm
and O.
 Lever arm 𝑙 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃

❖ For a given applied force, the change in

angular velocity depends on it

❖ Perpendicular distance from the

axis of rotation to the point
where the force is exerted

❖ To find the lever arm, extend the line of

the force until it forms a right angle with
a line from the center of rotation
Physical meaning of Torque (𝝉)
is the product of the
magnitude of the force and
the moment/lever arm

𝜏 = 𝐹𝑙 where 𝐹 is the magnitude

of the force
𝑙 is the lever arm
Unit: 𝑁∙𝑚

* but NOT same as Joules (in work-energy)

Physical meaning of Torque (𝝉)

𝜏 = 𝐹𝑙

𝜏 = 𝑟𝐹 sin 𝜃
Torque (𝝉) 𝜏 = 𝐹𝑙
 𝐹1 tends to cause
counter-clockwise rotation
___________________
about point 𝑂,
positive
so its torque is _________.

The line of action of 𝐹3 passes

through point 𝑂,
so the lever arm and hence
zero
the torque are _______.
clockwise rotation
𝐹2 tends to cause ___________
about point 𝑂,
so its torque is __________.
negative

Torque (𝝉) as a Vector

Torque (𝝉) : Right-Hand Rule
𝑭
Applied force 𝜏 = 𝑟𝐹 sin 𝜃
Radius
from 𝒓 If you point the fingers
axis of your right hand in the
direction of 𝒓,
and then curl them
𝒓 in the direction of 𝑭,
𝑭 𝜽
𝝉
Torque
your outstretched thumb
direction 𝝉 points in the direction of 𝝉.
 Analogy between
Linear Rotational
Motion Motion
&
𝑑 (in 𝑚) displacement 𝜃 (in 𝑟𝑎𝑑)
𝑚 𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝑣 in
𝑠
velocity 𝜔 in
𝑠
𝑚 𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝑎 in 2
𝑠
acceleration 𝛼 𝑖𝑛 2
𝑠

𝐹 (in 𝑁) force 𝝉 (𝐢𝐧 𝑵 ∙ 𝒎)

 Bolt and wrench
Sample Problem

60°

A bolt on a car engine needs to be

tightened with a torque of 35 𝑁 ∙ 𝑚.
60° You use a 25 − 𝑐𝑚 long wrench and pull
on the end of the wrench at an angle of
25 𝑐𝑚
60.0° from the perpendicular.
How long is the lever arm, and how
much force do you have to exert?
 A weekend plumber
Practice Problem
A plumber, unable to loosen a pipe fitting, slips a piece
of scrap pipe (a “cheater”) over his wrench handle.
He then applies his full weight of 900 𝑁 to the
end of the cheater by standing on it.
The distance from the center of the fitting to the point
where the weight acts is 0.80 𝑚, and the wrench handle
and cheater makes an angle of 19° with the horizontal.
Find the magnitude and direction of
the torque he applies about the
center of the pipe fitting.
 Torque
and
Angular
Acceleration 𝑶

speed acceleration Tangential and

𝒗 𝒂 radial
component of 𝒂
 Torque (Total force on
particle A)
and (only this
𝑦 𝑭𝑨
(does NOT
contribute
Angular contribute 𝑭
to torque) 𝑨,𝒕𝒂𝒏
to torque)
𝑭𝑨,𝒓𝒂𝒅
Acceleration 𝒎𝑨
𝒓𝑨 𝑨
෍ 𝝉 = 𝑰𝜶 𝑥
𝑶

where
𝜮𝝉 is the total torque (𝑁 ∙ 𝑚)
𝑰 is the moment of inertia (𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚2 )
𝜶 is the angular acceleration (𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 2 )
 A rotating steel wheel
Sample Problem
𝑭

0.44 𝑚
A solid steel wheel is free to rotate about a motionless central axis.
It has a mass of 15 𝑘𝑔 and a diameter of 0.44 𝑚 and starts at rest.
You want to increase this wheel’s rotation about its central axis
to 8.0 𝑟𝑒𝑣/𝑠 in 15 𝑠.
a) What torque must be applied to the wheel?
b) If you apply the torque by wrapping a strap around the outside
of the wheel, how much force should you exert on the strap?
 Bicycle wheel on repair
Practice Problem

A bicycle wheel on a repair bench can be accelerated

either by pulling on the chain that is on the gear or by
pulling on a string wrapped around the tire.
The tire’s radius is 0.38 𝑚, while
the radius of the gear is 0.14 𝑚.
What force would you need to pull
on the string to produce the same
acceleration you obtained with a What is angular velocity of the
force of 15 N on the chain? wheel if its mass is 2.5 𝑘𝑔?
 Solution:
For the chain on gear For the string on gear
𝜏𝑔 = 𝐹𝑔 𝑟𝑔 𝜏𝑡 = 𝐹𝑡 𝑟𝑡
= 15 𝑁 (0.14 𝑚) 𝜏𝑡 2.1 𝑁 ∙ 𝑚
𝐹𝑡 = =
𝜏𝑔 = 2.1 𝑁 ∙ 𝑚 𝑟 0.38 𝑚

Given: 𝜏𝑔 = 𝜏𝑡 = ෍ 𝜏 𝐹𝑡 = 5.2632 𝑁
𝑟𝑡 = 0.38 𝑚 𝑟𝑔 = 0.14 𝑚
𝐼 = 𝑚𝑟 2 ෍ 𝜏 = 𝐼𝛼
𝐹𝑔 = 15 𝑁 𝑚𝑤 = 2.5 𝑘𝑔
= 2.5 𝑘𝑔 0.38 𝑚 2 Σ𝜏 2.1 𝑁 ∙ 𝑚
Required: 𝛼= =
𝐼 0.361 𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚2
𝐹𝑡 = ? ? ? 𝐼 = 0.361 𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚2
𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝛼 = 5.8172 2
𝑠
Equation:
Answer:
෍ 𝜏 = 𝐼𝛼 𝜏 = 𝐹𝑙 𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝐹𝑡 = 5.3 𝑁 𝛼 = 5.8 2
𝑠
𝐼 = 𝑚𝑟 2 (thin-walled hollow cylinder)
Whenever a homogeneous body
(uniformly distributed mass)
has a geometric center
(e.g., billiard ball, sugar cube,
a can of frozen orange juice),
the center of mass is at the
geometric center.
 Center of Mass
Suppose we have several particles 𝐴, 𝐵, etc., with masses 𝑚𝐴 , 𝑚𝐵 , …
Let the coordinates of 𝐴 be (𝑥𝐴 , 𝑦𝐴 ) let those of 𝐵 be (𝑥𝐵 , 𝑦𝐵 ) and so on.
We define the center of mass of the system as the point having
coordinates (𝑥𝑐𝑚 , 𝑦𝑐𝑚 ) given by
𝑚1 𝑥1 + 𝑚2 𝑥2 + 𝑚3 𝑥3 + ⋯
𝑥𝑐𝑚 =
𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑚3 + ⋯

𝑚1 𝑦1 + 𝑚2 𝑦2 + 𝑚3 𝑦3 + ⋯
𝑦𝑐𝑚 =
𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑚3 + ⋯
 Center of Mass
𝑚1 𝑥1 + 𝑚2 𝑥2 + 𝑚3 𝑥3 + ⋯
𝑥𝑐𝑚 =
𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑚3 + ⋯

𝑚1 𝑦1 + 𝑚2 𝑦2 + 𝑚3 𝑦3 + ⋯
𝑦𝑐𝑚 =
𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑚3 + ⋯

In statistical language, the center of mass

is a mass-weighted average position of
the particles.
 A tug-of-war on the ice
Sample Problem

James (mass 90.0 𝑘𝑔) and Ramon (mass 60.0 𝑘𝑔)

are 20.0 𝑚 apart on a frozen pond.
Midway between them is a mug of their favorite beverage.

They pull on the ends of a

light rope stretched
between them.

When James has moved 6.0 𝑚 toward the mug,

how far and in what direction has Ramon moved?
 Block of Chocolate
Practice Problem

Three odd-shaped blocks of

chocolate have the following masses
and center-of-mass coordinates:

1) 0.300 𝑘𝑔, (0.200 𝑚, 0.300 𝑚)

2) 0.400 𝑘𝑔, (0.100 𝑚, −0.400 𝑚)
3) 0.200 𝑘𝑔, (−0.300 𝑚, 0.600 𝑚)

Find the coordinates of the center of mass

of the system of three chocolate blocks.
 Whenever a body has an
axis of symmetry

(e.g., wheel or pulley),

the center of mass

always lie on that axis.
There is no law that says the center of mass
has to be within the body,
hence, center of mass can
be outside the body.
 Center 𝐂𝐆

𝐂𝐆 of Mass
𝒘

𝒘
Area of support
Area of support Center of gravity is
within the area of
support:
car is in equilibrium.
 Center of Mass
𝐂𝐆
The higher the center 𝐂𝐆

of gravity, the smaller

the incline needed to
𝒘 tip the vehicle over.

Area of support Center of gravity is

outside the area of support:
vehicle tips over. Area of support
References ❖ Caintic, H. E. (n.d.). GENERAL PHYSICS 1
FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. Quezon
City, Philippines: C & E Publishing.

❖ Young, H. D., Geller, R. M., & Sears, F. W.

(2007). College physics. San Francisco:
Pearson/Addison Wesley.

❖ Young, H. D., Freedman, R. A., Ford, A. L.,

& Sears, F. W. (2016). Sears & Zemanskys
University physics. Boston: Pearson.

❖ Zitzewitz, P. W. et.al. (2005). PHYSICS

Principles and Problems. Ohio: The
McGraw-Hill Companies.
Most people
spend more time and energy
going around problems
than in trying to solve them.
 Torque and Angular Acceleration
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎
𝐹𝐴,𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 𝑚𝐴 𝑎𝐴,𝑡𝑎𝑛
𝑎𝐴,𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 𝑟𝐴 𝛼
𝑟𝐴 × 𝐹𝐴,𝑡𝑎𝑛 = 𝑚𝐴 𝑟𝐴 𝛼 × 𝑟𝐴
𝐹𝐴,𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑟𝐴 = (𝑚𝐴 𝑟𝐴 2 )𝛼
𝜏𝐴 𝐼𝐴 (moment of
inertia of particle A)
 Torque and Angular Acceleration
𝐹𝐴,𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑟𝐴 = (𝑚𝐴 𝑟𝐴 2 )𝛼
𝜏𝐴 𝐼𝐴 (moment of inertia of particle A)

𝜏𝐴 + 𝜏𝐵 + 𝜏𝐶 + ⋯ = (𝑚𝐴 𝑟𝐴 2 + 𝑚𝐵 𝑟𝐵 2 + 𝑚𝐶 𝑟𝐶 2 + ⋯ )𝛼

෍𝜏 𝐼

෍ 𝜏 = 𝐼𝛼