MECHANICS I

MOMENT OF FORCE

lesson : 2

By: Assistant Teacher

Omran Ahmed Shabeeb
College of Electrical Engineering Techniques
2020-2021
 The moment of a force:
The moment of a force: is the ability of the force to produce turning or
twisting about an axis or point or line.

The turning effect of a force is known as the moment. It is the product of the
force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the
force to the pivot or point where the object will turn.
When undoing a nut fastened to a screw by hand one realises that the amount
of force required is a lot greater than when undoing the same nut using a
spanner. The spanner increases the distance between the fulcrum and the line of
action of the force, thus for the same force a greater moment is obtained.
 SMALL MOMENT LARGE MOMENT
The distance from the fulcrum to the line of The distance from the fulcrum to the line of
action of force is very small action of force is large
 Forces and moments

To increase the force

applied to undoing a
wheel nut, extend the
length of the spanner –
you can do this by
inserting a length of
pipe over the end.
 The moment of a force:
Mathematically:

Moment of a force = Force * Perpendicular distance

(Newton meters) (Newton) from the force to the pivot (meters)

M=F*d
M = the moment of a the force.
F = applied force (N).
d = perpendicular distance between the point of action
of the force moment center (m).
Unit: newton-metre (Nm)
 Line of action of the force

d
F-Applied Force
F
d-Perpendicular Distance
Pivot from the pivot to the line
of force

Moment of a Force = F * d (Nm)

 Direction of the moment:
Moments can be either:
Clockwise & Anticlockwise Moment

ANTICLOCKWISE (CCW) or CLOCKWISE (CW)

ACW-out of the page CW-into the page

 Force F exerting an ANTICLOCKWISE
moment through the spanner on the nut
 Force F

Force F exerting an CLOCKWISE moment

through the spanner on the nut
At Right Angles

Remember to use the distance at right

angles to the force.

A different angle and we get less moment.

And pushing directly towards the bolt produces

no moment at all.
Principle of Moments
The principle of moments states that when in equilibrium the total sum of the
anti clockwise moment is equal to the total sum of the clockwise moment.
When a system is stable or balance it is said to be in equilibrium as all the
forces acting on the system cancel each other out.
In equilibrium
Total Anticlockwise Moment = Total Clockwise Moment
This principle can be explained by considering two people on a seesaw.
I f the moments are not equal, the rod will not be in equilibrium and will tilt .

↷ +𝑀𝑜 = Fd
= 50 *6 = 300 N.m

↷ +𝑀𝑜 = Fd
= 80 * 4 = - 320 N.m

The ACW moment is larger, so the rod will tilt ACW!

Calculating the moment in 2-D using components:
1)Select a positive direction (CCW or CW),
2)Calculate each moment and add them, using the proper sign for each term,
3)Always remember to write the unit of moment which is Nm.

Example:
In the following figure, calculate the moment about the point O:

1)We choose the CCW as positive direction for moment,

2)Moment of component of F along x about O is Fx times the
perpendicular distance from O
(or d1), which is clockwise, so it is Fx d1
3)Moment of component of F along y about O is Fy times the
perpendicular distance from O (or d2), which is counter
clockwise, so it is Fy d2
4)Moments add together as vectors, so the total moment is:

M o  Fxd 1  Fyd 2
 Let’s look at a
few examples
of calculations
involving
moments.

4m

5N

↷ +𝑀X = 5 x 4 = 20 N.m
(clockwise)
 3N

Let’s look at a
few examples X
of calculations
involving 5m
moments.
↷ +𝑀X = 3 x 5 = - 15 N.m
(anticlockwise)

4m

5N

↷ +𝑀X = 5 x 4 = 20 N.m
(clockwise)
Example: 1
Determine the moment of the force about the point O.

Solution:
↷ + 𝑀𝑜 = + 400 *2 = + 800 N.m

Example: 2
Determine the moment of the force about the point O.

Solution:
↷ +𝑀𝑜 = -250000 * 10 = -2500000 N.m
Example: 3
Determine the moment of the forces about the point O.
Solution:
↷ + 𝑀𝑜 = 500000 * 0 = 0 N.m

Example: 4
Determine the moment of the force 225 N about the points A. B. and C.
Solution:

↷ +𝑀𝐴 = F * 𝑑𝐴 = 225 * 0.6 = - 135 N.m

↷ +𝑀𝐵 = F * 𝑑𝐵 = 225 * 0.4 = - 90 N.m
↷ +𝑀𝐶 = F * 𝑑𝐶 = 225 * 0.8 = - 180 N.m
Example:5

Calculate the moment exerted with the

claw hammer if the person exerts a force
of 80N and distance d equals 25cm.

Solution:

↷ +𝑀𝑜 = Fd = 80 N * 0.25m
= 20 N.m
Example:6

120 Newtons of force at 0.3

Solution:
36 Nm
↷ +𝑀= Fd
= 120 x 0.3 = - 36 Nm
Example: 7

Calculate the moment of a 20N force a distance of 1.2m from the pivot.

Solution:

M = Fd

↷ +𝑀𝑜 = 20 x 1.2 = -24 N.m

O
Example: 8 100 KN
𝐹𝑦
Determine the moment of the forces about the point O.
30°
𝐹𝑥

10m
Solution:
O
°
𝐹𝑥 = F*cos (30) = 100*cos (30 ) = 87 KN
𝐹𝑦 = F*sin (30) = 100*sin (30° ) = 50 KN 40m

50 KN
↷ +𝑀1 = +87 * 10 = +870 KN.m 30°
↷ +𝑀2 = -50 *40 = -2000 KN.m
87 KN
↷ +𝑀𝑜 = 𝑀1 + 𝑀2
↷ +𝑀𝑜 = 870 + (-2000 ) = -1130 KN. m 10m
O
40m
Example:9
Determine- the moment of the forces about the point A.

Solution:
↷ +𝑀𝐴 = - 50*0 + 100*2 – 100*3 + 50*6 – 50*1
= 0 + 200 – 300 + 300 – 50 = +150 KN.m
Example: 10
Determine the moment of the forces about the point A.
3m
𝐹𝑥

Solution: 50𝜊
𝐹𝑦
𝐹𝑥 = F*cos (50) = 1000 * cos (50° ) = 642.78 N 1000 N

10 m
𝐹𝑦 = F*sin (50) = 1000 * sin (50° ) = 766 N

↷ +𝑀𝑥 == +642.78 * 10 = +6427.8 N.m

↷ +𝑀y = = +766 * 3 = +2298 N.m A

↷ +𝑀A == +6427.8 + 2298 = +8725.8 N.m
Example:11
Determine the moment of the force (70 N) shown in fig. about the point (A).
Solution:
4m
𝐹𝑥 = F * cos θ = 70 cos 30° = 70 * 0.866 = 60.62 N 𝐹𝑥
30𝜊
𝐹𝑦
𝐹𝑦 = F * sin θ = 70 sin 30° = 70 * 0.5 = 35 N 70 N

8m
↷ +𝑀1 = Fx * d = 60.62 * 8 = 484.96 N. m

↷ +𝑀2 = Fy * d = 35 * 4 = 140 N. m

↷ +𝑀A = 𝑀1 + 𝑀2 = 484.96 N + 140 = 624.96 N. m

A
Example: 12
Find the distance (Xn), if the moment of the force (F) shown in fig. about the point (A) is equal to zero.

Solution:

𝐹𝑥 = F * cos θ = 20 cos 30° = 20 * 0.866 = 17.32 N F= 20 N

𝐹𝑦
𝐹𝑦 = F * sin θ = 20 sin 30° = 20 * 0.5 = 10 N X𝑛
30°
𝐹𝑥

120 cm
𝑀1 = Fx * d = -17.32 * 120 = - 2078.4 N. cm

𝑀2 = Fy * d = 10 * Xn = 10 Xn N. cm

𝑀𝐴 = - 𝑀1 + 𝑀2 0 = - 2078.4 + 10 𝑋𝑛 o A
𝑋𝑛 = 2078.4 10= 207.84 cm
Example:13 40 N
10 N
Take the moment stuns about point C. D. E. A. & B

C D
E
A 2m B 3m 1m 2m
Solution: 20 N 30 N
σ 𝑀𝐴 = 10 *2 – 20 *5 – 30 *6 + 40 * 8 = 60 N. m
σ 𝑀𝐵 = -20 * 3 – 30 * 4 + 40 * 6 = 60 N. m

σ 𝑀𝐶 = - 10 * 3 – 30 * 1 + 40 * 3 = 60 N. m

σ 𝑀𝐷 = -10 * 4 + 20 * 1 +40 * 2 = 60 N. m

σ 𝑀𝐸 = -10 * 6 + 20 *3 + 30 * 2 = 60 N. m
 Homework
1. A beam 3 m long weighing 400 N is suspended in a horizontal position by two
vertical strings, each of which can withstand a maximum tension of 350 N only.
How far a body of 200 N weight be placed on the beam, so that one of the strings
may just break ?
 Homework
2. Two unlike parallel forces of magnitude 400 N and 100 N are acting in such a
way that their lines of action are 150 mm apart. Determine the magnitude of the
resultant force and the point at which it acts.

28
THANK YOU
ALL