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    IGCSE Moments

    Uploaded by

    Marwa Mansour

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    IGCSE Moments

    Uploaded by

    Marwa Mansour
    7 views5 pages

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

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    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    7 views5 pages

    IGCSE Moments

    Uploaded by

    Marwa Mansour

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    You are on page 1of 5

    Moments

     The moment of a force is the turning effect produced when a force is


    exerted on an object
     Examples of the turning effect of a force are:
    o A child on a see-saw

    o Turning the handle of a spanner

    o A door opening and closing

    o Using a crane to move building supplies

    o Using a screwdriver to open a tin of paint

    o Turning a tap on and off

    o Picking up a wheelbarrow

    o Using scissors

     Forces can cause the rotation of an object about a fixed pivot


     This rotation can be clockwise or anticlockwise
    Clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation

    Consider the hands of a clock when deciding if an object will rotate in a


    clockwise or anti-clockwise direction
     A force applied on one side of the pivot will cause the object to rotate
    Turning effect of a force about a pivot
    The force applied will cause the object to rotate clockwise about the pivot
    The moment equation
     A moment is defined as:
    The turning effect of a force about a pivot
     The size of a moment is defined by the equation:

     The forces should be perpendicular to the distance from the pivot


    o For example, on a horizontal beam, the forces which will cause a
    moment are those directed upwards or downwards
    The turning effect of a force exerted on a spanner
    The moment depends on the force and perpendicular distance to the pivot
     Increasing the distance at which a force is applied from a
    pivot decreases the force required
    o If you try to push open a door right next to the hinge, it is very difficult,
    as it requires a lot of force
    o If you push the door open at the side furthest from the hinge, then it is
    much easier, as less force is required
    Forces required to open a door

    A greater force is required to push open a door next to the hinges than at
    the door handle
    Unlock this Examiner Tip with premium
    The moment of a force is measured in newton metres (N m), but can also be newton
    centimetres (N cm) if the distance is measured in cm instead.
    If your IGCSE moments exam question doesn't ask for a specific unit, always
    convert the distance into metres
    Principle of mments (core)
     The principle of moments states that:
    If an object is balanced, the total clockwise moment about a pivot equals
    the total anticlockwise moment about that pivot
     The principle of moments means that for a balanced object, the moments on
    both sides of the pivot are equal
    clockwise moment = anticlockwise moment
    Principle of moments
    Imagine holding the beam about the pivot and applying just one of the
    forces. If the beam moves clockwise then the force applied is clockwise.
    This is the principle of moments
    Unlock this Examiner Tip with premium
    Make sure that all the distances are in the same units and that you’re considering
    the correct forces as clockwise or anticlockwise
    If you are studying the core tier for IGCSE Physics, you will only be expected to
    apply the principle of moments to a situation where one force acts on either side of
    the pivot
    Principle of moments (extended)
    Extended tier only
     In the example below, the forces and distances of the objects on the beam
    are different, but they are arranged in a way that balances the whole system
    Using the principle of moments
    The clockwise and anticlockwise moments acting on a beam are balanced

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