EXPERIMENT 204: TORQUE: SECOND CONDITION OF EQUILIBRIUM

FE ANNE L. BRAGAT
Physics Department, Mapua Institute of Technology falbragat@yahoo.com ABSTRACT
This experiment circles around with the Newtons second condition of equilibrium, the equilibrium in rotational motion. It describes by the net torque acting on a body which is zero. The ability of the body to rotate in a certain direction is varied according on how much torque is applied. To prove that, a beam that is subjected to two forces is balanced by adjusting the perpendicular distances. When the applied force is weight, modification in masses added is also done. Once equilibrium is achieved, or when the beam is not moving at a horizontal position, we can calculate for the unknown forces applied through the utilization of this principle. On our result, we had computed around 0.5 1.0% error in the determination of the mass of the pans, while on the force applied on the second part, we got an error of round 2%. Finally, the error accumulated in the determination of the weight of the beam is about 0.5%. Overall, by performing the experiment we can prove the Newtons second condition of equilibrium and appreciate the application of rotational equilibrium in real life.
KEY WORDS- Torque, rotational motion, equilibrium, angular momentum

I.

INTRODUCTION

As Archimedes is popularly known for developing the concept of buoyancy, he also developed the concept of torque when he worked on levers.

II.

METHODOLOGY

The experiment has three parts namely

determining the weight of the pans, determining the force needed to be in equilibrium and determining the weight of the beam. The materials needed for the experiments namely a set of model balance, a set of weights, a meter stick, a protractor, weight pans and a spring balance shown in Figure 1. For the procedure on the first part of the experiment, set-up the model balance and make sure that the axis of rotation is passing through the center of gravity of the beam. Mark your pans as P1 and P2. Place W1 = 10 gm weight on P1. Place the pans on the beam so that the system is in equilibrium. Measure L1 and L2. Take off the weight from P 1 and place W2 = 5gm weight on P2. Set the system again in equilibrium and measure L3 and L4. Repeat the procedures for trials 2 and 3. Use W1 = 15 gm and W2 = 25 gm weights for trials 2 and W1 = 30 gm and W2 = 20 gm weights for trial 3. Using the equations formed, compute P1 and P2 for trial.

For the procedure on the second part, place the spring balance and W1 = 50 gm weight on P1 at the left side of the beam. Make sure that the angle of inclination of the spring balance with the beam is less than 90o while the beam is kept in horizontal position. Record the reading of the spring balance and mark it as Fmeasured. Measure the distance of P 1 and the spring balance from the axis of rotation. Mark it as L1 and L2, respectively. Measure the angle of inclination, 0, of the spring balance with the beam. Compute the force F exerted by the spring balance on the beam to keep it in equilibrium, using second condition of equilibrium. Repeat procedures for the next trial. Only this time, the spring balance will be placed at the right side of the beam. On the last part of the experiment, use the second hole in the beam as the axis of rotation so that the center of gravity of the beam does not pass through the new axis of rotation. Place W1 = 50 gm weight on P1. Adjust its location so that the system will be in equilibrium. Measure the distance P 1 and WB from the axis of rotation. Mark it as L1 and L2, respectively. Compute the weight of the beam, WB. Repeat the procedures for the next trials. Use W1 = 60 gm and 70 gm weights for trials 2 and 3, respectively.

Figure 1: The materials needed for the experiments namely a set of model balance, a set of weights, a meter stick, a protractor, weight pans and a spring balance.

Figure 2: An almost balance weighting scale, it is an experiment on getting the equilibrium of two different weights.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The ideas of this paper cannot be done in its present form without first, my group mates who let me to be with them in performing the experiment. Without them, I cant do this work alone. I also want to thank our professor for sharing us his knowledge about this topic for us to have an understanding about the experiment and to the lab assistant that allow us borrow the apparatuses and for orienting us for proper care of those. REFERENCES: [1]Young, H., Freedman, R., University Physics

with Modern Physics, 12th Edition, 2009

[2]Williams, J., Metcalfe H., Modern Physics, 1976 [3]Padua, A., Crisostomo, R., Practical and

Explorational Physics, 2004

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