Turning Forces, Equilibrium

Topic-1 Concepts covered: Force, Equilibrium,

Revision Notes
Translational Motion
¾¾It is basically the motion of the object wherein object shifts from one point to another point in the space.
l Examples of translational motion include motion of a rectangular wooden block down an inclined plane.
l Rectilinear motion, object moves in straight line. Scan to know
Rotational Motion more about
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¾¾When a rigid body rotates about its centre of mass is called rotational motion.
l An object spinning about a fixed axis is said to be in rotational motion.
l Examples of rotational motion include a spinning top.
Forces and its Types : Contact force
¾¾Force : A force is that physical cause which changes or tends to change the state of rest or motion
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or direction of a body. It can also change the shape or size of a body. more about
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¾¾The S.I. unit of force is Newton (N). It is a vector quantity. C.G.S unit is dyne and gravitational
unit is gf or kgf. Where, 1 kgf = 9.8 N.
¾¾Force can be classified into two broad categories: contact forces and non-contact forces.
¾¾Contact force : A force that comes into play only when there is a direct contact between two Non-Contact
objects is known as contact force. Pushing a car, kicking a ball, pulling an object etc. are the force
examples of contact force.
¾¾Non-Contact force : A force that comes into play, even when there is no direct (physical) contact between the two
objects is known as non-contact forces.
Electrical, magnetic, gravitational and nuclear forces are examples of non-contact forces.
Torque :
¾¾Torque is the measure of rotational tendency of a force. It is also called moment of force.
¾¾Torque is the product of force with the perpendicular distance of force from the point of rotation.
¾¾Mathematically,
Torque = Force × perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation.
¾¾Torque is a vector quantity. Its S.I. unit is Newton metre (N-m).
¾¾Couple : Two equal and opposite forces acting along parallel lines at different points of the body form a couple.
Principle of Moments :
¾¾Principle of Moments : When an object is in equilibrium, then the sum of the anti-clockwise moments about a
turning point must be equal to the sum of the clockwise moments.
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Principle of
Moments
 Let the distance of the weight W1 from the support be l1 and the distance of weight W2 from the support be l2.
Let the weight W1 tries to rotate the scale in anti-clockwise direction. Then, Scan to know
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Anti-clockwise moment = W1 × l1 this topic

And the weight W2 tries to rotate the scale in clockwise direction. Then,

Clockwise moment = W2 × l2
Types of
As the scale is in equilibrium, so equilibrium
Total anti-clockwise moment = Total clockwise moment

W1 × l1 = W2 × l2
Forces in Equilibrium :
¾¾When a number of forces acting on a body produces no change in
its state of rest or of motion, the body is said to be in equilibrium.
¾¾The condition for a body to be in translatory motion equilibrium
is that net force acting on the body is zero.
¾¾The condition for a body to be in rotational motion equilibrium
is that net torque acting on the body is zero.
¾¾The equilibrium of a body is of three types :
(i) Stable equilibrium
(ii) Neutral equilibrium.
(iii) Unstable equilibrium.
¾¾A body is said to be in stable equilibrium, if it has a tendency to
return to its original position, after being slightly disturbed.
¾¾A body is said to be in neutral equilibrium if on being slightly disturbed, it continues to stay in equilibrium in its
new position, in the same way as it was in its original position.
¾¾A body is said to be in unstable equilibrium, if it has no tendency to come to its original position, after being
slightly disturbed from that position.
The necessary conditions for a body to be in equilibrium are :
(i) The sum of all the forces acting on the body is zero.
(ii) The algebraic sum of the moments of all the forces acting on the body about any arbitrary point is zero.

Key Formula
¾¾Principle of Moments : Anti-clockwise moment = Clockwise moment
W1l1 = W2l2
¾¾Torque = Force × perpendicular distances from the axis of rotation
t=F×r
 Centre of Gravity
Topic-2 Concept covered: Centre of gravity

Revision Notes
Centre of Gravity :
¾¾Centre of gravity of a rigid body is a point at which the entire weight of the body acts and algebraic sum of
moments of weights of particles constituting the body is zero about this point.
¾¾Centre of gravity of an irregular lamina is found by taking three points at the edges of the lamina. Then the object
is suspended from any of the chosen points, and a weighted string is dropped from the same point and a line
is drawn on the lamina along the string. This procedure is repeated from other two points on the lamina. These
three lines will intersect at a point on the lamina which is basically the centre of gravity.