International Journal of Advanced Educational Research

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Volume 1; Issue 2; March 2016; Page No. 56-58

Moments and couples

Mukesh Yadav
Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Govt. College Satnali, Haryana, India

Abstract
Moments are usually defined with respect to a fixed reference point; they deal with physical quantities as measured at some
distance from that reference point. For example, the moment of force acting on an object, often called torque, is the product of the
force and the distance from a reference point. In principle, any physical quantity can be multiplied by distance to produce a
moment; commonly used quantities include forces, masses, and electric charge distributions.
When a force acts on a particle, the motion that can occur is that of translation only i.e., the particle moves in a straight line. But
forces acting on a rigid body may produce in it the following types of motion:
1. Motion of Translation
2. Motion of Rotation
3. A combination of both
The tendency of a force to produce rotation about a fixed point is directly proportional to the product of the force P and the
perpendicular distance p, of the line of action of the force from O.
This product P × p is called the moment of the force P about O.The resultant force exists of two unequal and unlike parallel
forces, with different line of actions acting on a rigid body. But if two equal and unlike parallel forces with different line of
actions act on a rigid body, then the resultant force of the two cannot be found by combining these forces. Equivalently, no single
force can replace two equal and opposite forces with different line of action. These kind of equal and opposite forces are said to
form a couple.

Keywords: moments, couples, motion of translation, motion of rotation

Introduction Varignon’s theorem statement

Definition: The moment of a force about a point is the The algebraic sum of the moments of two coplanar forces (not
product of the force and the perpendicular distance of its line forming a couple) acting on a rigid body about any point in
of action from the point. their plane is equalto the moment of their resultant about that
Thus moment of a force P about O = P × p. point.

Generalization of varignon’s theorem of moments

statements
If any number of co-planar forces acting on a rigid body have
a resultant, the algebraic sum of their moments about any
point in their plane is equal to the moment of their resultant
about that point.
Proof. Let P1, P2, P3, P4, ..... Pn be n coplanar forces acting on
a rigid body and O be the point about which moments are to
be taken. Let R be their resultant.
Suppose no two above forces form a couple.
Let R1 be the resultant of P1 and P2 ;
R2 that of R1 and P3 i.e., of P1, P2, P3;
R3 that of R2 and P4 i.e., of P1, P2, P3, P4; and so on
Fig 1
Finally, let Rn – 1 be the resultant of Rn – 2 and Pn i.e., of P1, P2,
P3, ... Pn.
The tendency of the rotation of a body about a point can be in
∴ By Varignon’s theorem of moments,
the clockwise or anti-clockwise direction.
Moment of R1 about O = moment of P1 about O + moment of
Generally, the moment is regarded positive if the force P has
P2 about O Moment of R2 about O = moment of R1 about O +
a tendency to rotate the body about the fixed point O in the
moment of P3 about O
anti-clockwise direction.
= moment of P1 about O + moment of P2 about O +
The moment is said to be negative if the direction of rotation
moment of P3 about O
is clockwise. The moment of a force about a point is
and so on.
represented geometrically by twice the area of the triangle
Finally, the moment of Rn – 1 about O
whose base is the line representing the force and whose vertex
= algebraic sum of moments of Rn – 2 and Pn about O
is the given point.
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i.e., moment of R about O = algebraic sum of moments action passes through A, at a distance x from O and makes an
of forces P1, P2, P3, ..., Pn about O Hence the result. angle θ with OX.

Conversely: If the algebraic sum of the moments of a system Definition: Two equal and unlike parallel forces with
of coplanar forces (not equivalent to a couple) acting on a different lines of action are said to form a couple.
rigid body about a point in their plane is zero, then either the The force applied to a key of a clock in order to wind it up or
system of forces is in equilibrium or their resultant passes to a key of a lock to lock or unlock it are some examples of a
through that point. (Since R × p = 0, then either R = 0 or p = couple.
0) The moment of couple is defined as the product of the
magnitude of either of the forces forming the couple and the
A system of coplanar forces acting on a rigid body can be arm of the couple. i.e., Moment of couple (P, p) = P.p
reduced to either a single force or a single couple
Two intersecting forces can be combined into a single = Force × Arm of the couple
resultant by parallelogram law of forces. Again, two parallel
forces (not forming a couple) can be reduced to a single force Remark: The moment of a couple can never be zero.
by the law of parallel forces. The moment of a couple is said to be positive or negative
Let F1, F2, F3 be any three forces of the system. Out of these according as it rotates the body in the anti-clockwise or
atleast two are such that they do not form a couple, say, F1 clockwise direction.
and F2. Let R1 be their resultant. Thus the three given forces
F1, F2, F3 have been reduced to two forces R1 and F3. The algebraic sum of the moments of two forces forming a
Again take a fourth force F4 of the system. The three forces couple about any point in their plane is constant.
R1, F3, F4 can be reduced to two forces as before, and so on. Equilibrium of two couples
Repeating this process, in the end we are left with two forces  Two coplanar couples of equal and opposite moments,
which either form a couple or give a single resultant force. balance each other.
Hence the system can be reduced to either a single force or a  Two couples in the same plane of equal moments and
single couple. acting in the same sense are equivalent (i.e., are equal to
each other).
Resultant of a system of coplanar forces acting on a rigid  Two couples of equal and opposite moments in parallel
body planes balance each other.
Let OX and OY be two perpendicular directions and P1, P2,  The resultant of a number of coplanar couples is
P3, ...., Pn be n coplanar forces acting on a rigid body making equivalent to a single couple whose moment is equal to
angles α1, α2, α3, ...., αn respectively with OX. Let R be their the algebraic sum of the moments of the given couples.
resultant making an angle θ with OX.
A system of coplanar forces acting in one plane at different
points of a rigid body can be reduced to a single force acting
at any arbitrary point of the body together with the couple.
If three forces acting on a rigid body be represented in
magnitude, direction and line of action by the sides of a
triangle taken in order, they are equivalent to a couple whose
moment is represented by twice the area of the triangle.
If three non-concurrent coplanar forces acting on a rigid body
be equivalent to a couple, they must be proportional to the
sides, taken in order, of the triangle formed by their lines of
` action.

Resolving the forces along OX, we have Resultant of a force and a couple
R cos θ = P1 cos α1 + P2 cos α2 + ... + Pn cos αn = X (say) ...(1) A single force and a coplanar couple acting on a rigid body
Resolving the forces along OY, we get cannot produce equilibrium but are equivalent to a single
R sin θ = P1 sin α1 + P2 sin α2 + ... + Pn sin αn = Y (say) ...(2) force equal and parallel to the given force.
Squaring (1) and (2) and adding, we get
R2 = X2 + Y2 which gives the magnitude of the resultant Resolution of a force into a force and a couple
Any force is equivalent to an equal and parallel force acting at
Again, dividing (2) by (1), we have Tan θ = , which
an arbitrary point together with a couple of moment equal to
gives the direction of the resultant the moment of the given force about that point.
To determine the line of action of the resultant, let us suppose
that it meets OX in A at a distance x from O.Since A lies on References
the line of action of the resultant, the algebraic sum of 1. Physics for Engineering by Hendricks, Subramony, and
moments of forces about A = 0, which gives us the value of x Van Blerk, 148. Web link
and hence the position of A. 2. Dynamics, Theory and Applications by T.R. Kane and
Hence the resultant is a force of magnitude R and its line of D.A. Levinson, 1985, pp. 90-99: Free download

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3. Engineering Mechanics: Equilibrium, by C. Hartsuijker,
J. W. Welleman, page 64 Web link
4. Augustus Jay Du Bois. The mechanics of engineering.
Wiley. 1902; 1:186.
5. Ericksen JL. Timoshenko Acceptance Speech at
iMechanica.org site for mechanicians. 1979.
6. Girvin HF. Applied Mechanics, §28 Couples, Scranton
Pennsylvania: International Textbook Company, 1938;
33:4.

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