I think this is an unfortunate wording. I would say (inertial) mass is a measure of how hard it is to change the velocity of an object. Likewise, moment of inertia would describe how hard it is to change the angular velocity.kuruman said:Force is a measure of how easy it is to change the velocity of an object. Moment or torque is a measure of how easy it is to change the angular velocity (relative to a fixed point) of an object.
Welcome, S_Subramaniam!S_Subramaniam said:What does it mean if it is a measure of moments? Does it mean the angle of turn? Does it mean the speed of the movement? Does it mean the distance travelled?
No. It has different dimensions from a force.S_Subramaniam said:So, is moment also a type of force?
Not quite. The effort you make is how hard you pull with the muscle in the shoulder; that's a force. That force generates a torque about the shoulder joint to balance the torque the weight of the arm generates about the same joint.Lnewqban said:The effort that you feel in your shoulder is the moment induced by the weight of your arm acting on a point located about half the length of your arm
Have you ever used a spanner to undo a tight nut? You can only generate so much force with your muscles, but the longer the spanner shaft the more torque you get from the same force.S_Subramaniam said:So, is moment also a type of force?
Just as the Newtonian definition of force is that which produces or tends to produce motion (along a line), so torque may be defined as that which produces or tends to produce torsion (around an axis). It is better to use a term which treats this action as a single definite entity than to use terms like "couple" and "moment", which suggest more complex ideas. The single notion of a twist applied to turn a shaft is better than the more complex notion of applying a linear force (or a pair of forces) with a certain leverage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_(physics)#Elaboration said:In its most basic form, a moment is the product of the distance to a point, raised to a power, and a physical quantity (such as force or electrical charge) at that point
Torque, also known as the moment of force, is a measure of the rotational force applied to an object. It is defined as the product of the force applied and the distance from the pivot point (or axis of rotation) to the line of action of the force. Mathematically, torque (τ) can be expressed as τ = r × F, where r is the distance from the pivot point to where the force is applied, and F is the force applied.
Torque is calculated using the formula τ = r × F × sin(θ), where τ is the torque, r is the distance from the pivot point to the point of force application, F is the magnitude of the force applied, and θ is the angle between the force vector and the lever arm. If the force is applied perpendicularly to the lever arm, sin(θ) equals 1, simplifying the equation to τ = r × F.
Torque is typically measured in Newton-meters (Nm) in the International System of Units (SI). Other units include pound-feet (lb-ft) in the imperial system and kilogram-meters (kg-m) in some contexts. The unit reflects the product of force and distance, where one Newton-meter is the torque resulting from a one Newton force applied at a distance of one meter from the pivot point.
Torque is crucial in mechanics because it determines the ability of a force to produce rotational motion. It plays a vital role in various applications, such as engines, levers, and machinery, influencing how objects rotate and the efficiency of mechanical systems. Understanding torque helps engineers design systems that can handle specific loads and perform desired functions effectively.
The amount of torque produced is influenced by several factors, including the magnitude of the applied force, the distance from the pivot point to the point of force application, and the angle at which the force is applied. Increasing the force or the distance from the pivot point will increase torque, while applying the force at an angle other than 90 degrees can reduce the effective torque produced.