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Lab 6 With Torques

The lab report investigates balanced torques and the center of gravity using a meter stick and various weights. The procedure involves balancing the meter stick with known and unknown weights, calculating the center of gravity, and analyzing the results for percent error and difference. The conclusion emphasizes the relationship between force, distance, and torque, highlighting the importance of these concepts in understanding equilibrium conditions.

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5 views

Lab 6 With Torques

The lab report investigates balanced torques and the center of gravity using a meter stick and various weights. The procedure involves balancing the meter stick with known and unknown weights, calculating the center of gravity, and analyzing the results for percent error and difference. The conclusion emphasizes the relationship between force, distance, and torque, highlighting the importance of these concepts in understanding equilibrium conditions.

Uploaded by

ryanradwan14
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ryan Radwan

Lab partner: N/A


Physics lab report #6
3/24/20

Balanced Torques and Center of gravity


Purpose

 Understand the equilibrium conditions for a rigid bar and locate the center of gravity

Equipment

 Meter stick

 Knife-edge clamp

 String for hanging weights from the meter stick

 Masses

 Balance scale

Procedure

1) Balance the meter stick so it is properly placed on the fulcrum and select 2 different sizes

of weights and suspend them and at a distance in order to see that the system is working.

Use an “unknown.” On the right side of P and balance the system using the known

weights on the left side of P. Repeat by using another value for the lever arm of the

“unknown.” From the equilibrium conditions, compute the value of the “unknown”

weight and compare with that obtained by weighing it on the balance. Compute the %

error assuming the balance is accurate.

2) With a single weight suspended near the left end move the meter stick until it is balanced.

Write the equation of torques about the new axis and use it to compute the weight of m2,
of the meter stick. Compare the average value of your result with that found on a

laboratory balance. Show the calculations in your report.

3) Arrange the system so that so that one mass is heavier than the other. The center of

gravity of this loaded meter stick is now at some unknown point. Suspend a known

weight m1 near the free end of the bar and adjust the stick until balance is obtained.

Record the positions of the fulcrum, and of m1. Repeat this operation with m1 at two

other positions which are at least 5 cm apart. Compute the position C of the center of

gravity of the loaded meter stick for each of the 3 positions of m1 using the equilibrium

condition torque equation.

4) Now remove m1 and balance the loaded stick alone on the knife edge by adjusting the

position of the fulcrum. The loaded meter stick will balance at its center of gravity.

Compare the results obtained with the average of the three trials in C.

Analysis

 T1= (m1) (r1) g

 T2=(m2) (r2) g

 Percent error= (E-K)/K * 100

 Percent difference= E2+E1/(E1+E2)/2 *100

procedur P(cm) M1(gr) SR1 R1cm M2(GR) SR2 R2(cm Torque Torque Percent Percent
e ) 1 2 difference error
1 50.2 - - - - - - - -
2a1 50.2 150 30.1 20 200 65.1 15 .294 .294 0%
a2 50.2 150 22.1 28 200 77.1 21 .412 .309 28%
b1 50.2 155 29.9 20.3 70.4 95 44.8 .308 .85%
b2 50.2 155 32.1 18.1 71 90 39.8 .275 1.7%
Results
m2 gr actual value = 69.8 g

m2 (gr)=0.0704 kg

m2 (gr)= 0.071kg

percent difference a1= 0%

percent difference a2= 28%

percent error b1=.85%

procedure P M1 SR 1 R1 M2 SR2 R2 Torque Torque %


(cm) (gr) (cm) (gr) (cm) 1 2 error
3a 38.1 155 27.3 11.3 151 50.2 11.6 .172 .066
3b 43.6 155 37.2 6.4 149 50.2 6.6 .097 1.3

The weight of the meter stick =150.9 grams

M2 (gr) experimental=151

M2 (gr) experimental=149

Percent error= .066

Percent error=1.3

percent error b2=1.7%

Questions

2) It helps apply the force in a perpendicular direction and handle of wrench also increases the

distance, thus in turn, will increase the applied torque.


3) A) The torques don’t have to be balanced when the forces are balanced. B) If the torques are

balanced, the forces don’t have to necessarily balance either

Conclusion

In this lab, we investigated the ideas of torques. The torque of the force about any axis id

defined to be the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the axis or pivot point

to line of action of the force. We used a data simulation to understand how the torques worked

since we could not perform it in class. We were able to identify percent error between the

experimental masses as well as percent difference between the two torques.

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