SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

Table 1. Determining the Weight of Pans

From second condition of equilibrium,
P1 L1P2 L2=O
We obtain the equations,

( P1 +W 1 ) L1P2 L2=O
P
( 2+W 2 )L2=O
P1 L3

(Equation 1)

(Equation 2)

Substituting values from trial 1,

( P1 +10 ) (12.5)P2 (17.5)=O

12.5 P 1+12517.5 P 2=O

(New Equation 1)

P
( 2+5)(17.5)=O
P1 (21.2)
21.2 P1 17.5 P2 87.5=O

(New Equation 2)

By solving the two equations we get,

P1= 24.425 grams
P2= 24.589 grams
Actual Value P1= 24.8 grams
Actual Value P2= 24.8 grams
TRIAL
L1
L2
1
W1=
12.5
17.5
10g

cm

cm

L3
21.2

L4
17.5

cm

cm

P1(computed)
24.425 g

P2(computed)
24.589 g

W2= 5 g

Table 2. Determining the Force needed to be in Equilibrium

From the equation,
P1 L1P2 L2=F
We obtain the equation,
F=

( P 1+W 1 ) L1
L2 sin

Substituting values from trial 1,

F=

( 74.8 ) 22.5
( 12.5 ) sin 40

F= 209.46 g
TRI

L1

L2

W1+P1

F(computed)

F(measured)

AL
1

%
Difference

22.5

12.5

cm

cm

74.8 g

209.46 g

Table 3. Determining the Weight of the Beam

From the equation,
P1 L1P2 L2=F
We obtain the equation,

210 g

0.257 %

W=

( P 1+W 1 ) L1
L2

Substituting values from trial 1,

W=

( 74.8 ) 14
(7.5 )

W= 139.627 g
TRIA

L1

L2

L
1

14 cm

7.5 cm

W1+P1
74.8 g
ANALYSIS

WB(computed)

WB(measured)

139.627 g

136.2 g

This experiment is about torque focusing on the second equation of

equilibrium. Torque is the ability of force to change the rotational motion of a
particle. The second condition of static equilibrium states that for a particle
to be in static equilibrium the total torque must be equal to zero, meaning it
has no ability to rotate it. We used model balance, weights and spring
balance in order to explore about this matter.

In the part 1of our experiment our goal is to

Figure
1

determine

the weight of pans. The actual weight is given to be 24.8 grams. The set up
of the experiment is shown in figure 1. A weight of 10 grams was placed on
the first pan, in order to achieve equilibrium we adjusted the place of the

second pan. Another procedure like that was done in but the weight, which is
five grams, is added on the second pan and the position of the first pan was
adjusted. The distances of the pan from the beam were measured and
recorded. At first we encounter difficulties while balancing the two pans,
there were times that the pan fall in to the table because of wrong
estimation of place for the second pan, but for the next trials it becomes
easier because we already know the technique and the principles in order to
balance the pan. We used the second equation of equilibrium in order to
arrive to an equation that will compute the weight of pans, the derivation of
the formula was shown in the sample computations. The percent error that
we got for P1 and P2 were 0.03% and 0.25% respectively, and were glad
about that.

In the part 2 of the experiment we determine

Figure
2

the

force

needed in order for the system to be balanced. We put 50 g of weight on the

left side of the beam; the spring balance was also placed on the left side, it
was used to put the system in equilibrium. The set-up is shown in figure 2.
The angle of inclination of the spring balance with the beam and the
distances of P1 and spring balance from the beam were recorded. Another
trial was made but the position of the spring balance was placed on the right
side. The equation to solve for the force was shown in the sample
computations. The percent errors that we got for the two trials were 0.26%
and 3.46% which is not that high. Inaccuracy for this part of the experiment

may come from the measurement of the angle, because it was hard to
measure it using protractor.
For the last part of the experiment we determined the weight of the
beam. The second hole of the beam was used as the axis of rotation so that
the center of gravity of the beam does not pass over the new axis of
rotation. A 50g of weight was added to the pan and the location of the beam
was adjusted in order to balance the system. The set-up is shown in figure 3.
The actual weight is measured to be 136.2g, we used the principles of the
second condition of equilibrium in order to get the equation that will lead to
the

experimental

value

of

the

weight

of

the

computations). From the three trials, the average

beam

Figure
3

(See

sample

weight

of

beam that we got is 138.12g which is close enough to the actual weight.
Difficulties encountered were just the same as those difficulties in part 1 of
the experiment which is stated earlier.

CONCLUSION
The objectives of this experiment were to analyze systems in
equilibrium using second condition and to distinguish some of second
equilibriums use and significance.
After the experiment was done, these objectives were met. The system
that weve analyzed in the experiment was the model balance. The second
condition of static equilibrium states that for a particle to be in static
equilibrium the total torque must be equal to zero, meaning it has no ability
to rotate it. The axis of rotation in our system is perpendicular to the beam
and passing through its center of gravity. We could say that the system is in
equilibrium if the beam was pointing to 0 on the scale below. The location of
pans were manipulated to obtain balance, if a greater force was added to
the pan on the left side the shorter the distance from it must be of the pan
on the right side. The formula for torque explains that idea, where in
=r F tan , r is the distance from the axis of rotation and F
tan is the force
applied which also refers to the weight of the pans. The r which is the
distance is inversely proportional to the force applied which is the weight.
The second equilibrium concept will be useful for mechanical and civil
engineering students because they were the one to design different systems.
Without this concept it would be hard to make sure the security and stability
of a system just like infrastructures.

APPLICATION
From research on the internet that Ive done, some examples of real
life application of torque are can be found on complex machines and
gyroscopes. Torque is a factor in several complex machines such as the
electric motor that runs most household appliances. It is especially important
to the operation of automobiles, playing a significant role in the engine and
transmission.
An automobile engine produces energy,
which the pistons or rotor convert into torque for
transmission to the wheels. Though torque is
greatest at high speeds, the amount of torque
needed to operate a car does not always vary
proportionately with speed. At moderate speeds and on level roads, the
engine does not need to provide a great deal of torque. But when the car is
starting, or climbing a steep hill, it is important that the engine supply
enough torque to keep the car running; otherwise it will stall. To allocate
torque and speed appropriately, the engine may decrease or increase the
number of revolutions per minute to which the rotors are subjected.
Torque is also important in the operation of electric motors, found in
everything from vacuum cleaners and dishwashers to computer printers and
videocassette recorders to subway systems and water-pumping stations.

Torque in the context of electricity involves reference to a number of

concepts beyond the scope of this discussion: current, conduction, magnetic
field, and other topics relevant to electromagnetic force.
A gyroscope consists of a wheel-like disk, called
a flywheel, mounted on an axle, which in turn is
mounted on a larger ring perpendicular to the plane
of the wheel itself. An outer circle on the same plane
as the flywheel provides structural stability, and
indeed, the gyroscope may include several such
concentric rings. Its focal point, however, is the flywheel and the axle. One
end of the axle is typically attached to some outside object, while the other
end is left free to float.
Torque, along with angular momentum, is the leading factor dictating
the motion of a gyroscope. Think of angular momentum as the momentum
(mass multiplied by velocity) that a turning object acquires. Due to a
principle known as the conservation of angular momentum, a spinning object
has a tendency to reach a constant level of angular momentum, and in order
to do this, the sum of the external torques acting on the system must be
reduced to zero. Thus angular momentum "wants" or "needs" to cancel out
torque.
When the gyroscope starts to spin, the vectors of angular momentum
and torque are at odds with one another. Were this situation to persist, it
would destabilize the gyroscope; instead, however, the two come into
alignment. Using the right-hand rule, the torque vector on a gyroscope is
horizontal in direction, and the vector of angular momentum eventually
aligns with it. To achieve this, the gyroscope experiences what is known as
gyroscopic precession, pivoting along its support post in an effort to bring
angular momentum into alignment with torque. Once this happens, there is
no net torque on the system, and the conservation of angular momentum is
in effect.

REFERENCE
[1] (2005).Science Clarified. Torque- Real-life applications. Retrieved from
http://www.scienceclarified.com/everyday/Real-Life-Chemistry-Vol-3Physics-Vol-1/Torque-Real-life-applications.html