Question

Short note on turning effect of force about 300 to 400 words

Answer 1

The turning effect of a force is known as the moment. It is the product of the force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the pivot or point where the object will turn

When undoing a nut fastened to a screw by hand one realises that the amount of force required is a lot greater than when undoing the same nut using a spanner. The spanner increases the distance between the fulcrum and the line of action of the force, thus for the same force a greater moment is obtained.

If a body under the action of a net external force is allowed to rotate about a pivot, the body will tend to turn in the direction of the applied force.

Examples of turning effect of force:

A person pushing a swing will make the swing rotate about its pivot.
A worker applies a force to a spanner to rotate a nut.
A person removes a bottle’s cork by pushing down the bottle opener’s lever.
A force is applied to a door knob and the door swings open about its hinge.
A driver can turn a steering wheel by applying a force on its rim.