ENGINEERING FACULTY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Laboratory Report 5

The Principle of the Moment of a

Force

57376514

Subject:

MEM101S

Technician

M M Fasi

Date:

29 October 2015

DANY MATANGWA

Signed:

I (We) swear that this is the original work of the author(s). All information obtained directly or indirectly
from other sources has been fully acknowledged.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.

Aim of the Experiment

2.

Theoretical Background

3.

Experimental Apparatus

4.

Experimental Procedure

5.

Results

6.

Discussion of Results

7.

Conclusion

Appendix A: Experimental Readings and Calculations

Figure 1: Principle of the moment of a force equipment
Table1: Results Table

1.

AIM OF THE LABORATORY EXPERIMENT

To investigate the conditions required for the equilibrium of a pivoting beam.

2.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

3.

EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS

Metre rule with a hole drilled in the middle, various mass-pieces, string, a stand with
a rotation pivot.

Figure 1: Principle of the moment of a force equipment

4.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Set up the apparatus as in Fig. 1, with two mass-pieces hanging on one side
of the rotation point and three on the other side.
Play around with the positions of the mass-pieces until the metre rule is in
equilibrium.
Record the masses W1, W2, W3, W4, etc and their corresponding distances
from the fulcrum x1, x2, x3, x4, etc.
Note which mass pieces cause clockwise rotation and which cause
anticlockwise rotation.
Find the sum of the clockwise moments about the fulcrum.
Find the sum of the anticlockwise moments about the fulcrum.

5.

RESULTS

Record your readings in a table1 below. Ensure the correct use of significant figures.
Table1: Results table
Anticlockwise Moments
Clockwise Moments
Weight of
Distance from Moment (N.m)
Weight of
Distance from Moment (N.m)
mass-piece (N) Fulcrum (mm)
mass-piece (N) Fulcrum (mm)
W1: 0,4905 N
x1: 0,175 m
W1x1: 0,0858375 N.m W4: 0,4905 N
x4: 0,095 m
W4x4: 0,0465975 N.m
W2: 0,34335 N
x2: 0,105 m
W2x2: 0,03605175 N.m W5: 0,4905 N
x5: 0,192 m
W5x5: 0,094176 N.m
W3: 0,4905 N
x3: 0,04 m
W3x3: 0,01962 N.m
Total
0,14150925
Total
0,1407735
N.m
N.m

6.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
a) The sum of the clockwise moments and the sum of the anticlockwise
moments differ by a small amount. What is this difference in Nm? Why do
they differ?

The difference between the clockwise and the anticlockwise moment is

0,00073575 N.m. The weights seemed to in equilibrium but the calculus tells us that
the moments are not equal; in this case, the only reason I can think of is the
inaccuracy of materials. The rotation pivot must have exercised some kind of friction
in the hole drilled in the middle of the metre rule; therefore preventing it to move
freely under the weights of the different masses.
b) This is not a very accurate experiment. Name one improvement would you
suggest for the apparatus to improve accuracy.
One of the many ways to improve the accuracy of this experiment would be to
make sure the rotation pivot does not exercise any friction in the hole drilled
in the middle of the metre rule. Once made frictionless, it must be able to
move freely under the weights of the masses hung on it; therefore, allowing a
much more accurate experiment.

c) Could you do these calculations of the clockwise and anticlockwise moments

without converting the masses to equivalent weights? If so, why?
No, I couldnt. A moment directly implies the present of a force, in this case
weight. Which means I had to convert the masses to equivalent weights.

d) The meter rule could be fixed in place at the fulcrum and the whole
apparatus, with your weights attached, tilted to an angle to the horizontal
(bench top). Would this action change the sum of the clockwise moments and
the anticlockwise moments? Explain your answer.
No, this action wouldnt change anything because the weights would still be
the same and the perpendicular distances would still concur in the same way
as before.

7.

CONCLUSION

This experiment was meant to investigate the conditions required for the
equilibrium of a pivoting beam which it did, in spite of the fairly negligible limitations
in the accuracy of the materials used.

CALCULATIONS:

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