General Physics I
Quarter 2 – Module 3 TORQUE
Learning Objectives:
1. Define and describe torque; and
2. Calculate the magnitude and direction of torque using the definition
of torque as a cross product.
When studying how objects rotate, it quickly becomes necessary to figure out how a
given force results in a change in the rotational motion. The tendency of a force to cause or
change rotational motion is called torque, and it's one of the most important concepts to
understand in resolving rotational motion situations.
Torque (also called moment — mostly by engineers) is calculated by multiplying force
and distance. The SI units of torque are newton-meters, or N*m (even though these units are
the same as Joules, torque isn't work or energy, so should just be newton-meters).
Torque is a measure of the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis. Just as
force is what causes an object to accelerate in linear kinematics, torque is what causes an object
to acquire angular acceleration.
Torque is a vector quantity. The direction of the torque vector depends on the direction
of the force on the axis.
What’s In
How was your performance in the test? As you go through this module, you will be able
to deepen your understanding in our topic and do better in the next test.
In lesson 1, you were able to calculate the moment of inertia about a given axis of
single-object and multiple-object systems. Here in lesson 2, you will be introduced to the
concept on how to calculate magnitude and direction of torque using the definition of torque as
a cross product.
Let us have a sample problem.
Example Number 1:
A force of 5.0 N is applied at the end of a lever that has a length of 2.0 meters. If the force is
applied directly perpendicular to the lever, as shown in the diagram above, what will be the
magnitude of the torque acting on the lever?
Solution:
This sample is a simple matter of plugging the values into the equation:
Torque = F * l
Torque = 5.0N * 2.0m
Torque = 10N*m
What’ New
In a previous lecture, we discussed one type of product of two vectors known as dot
product, which gives us a scalar value. A very common example of such a product is work. Work
is a scalar quantity that has only magnitude and no direction and is given by taking the product
of the force and displacement vectors. Cross product (or vector product) is the product of two
vectors that produces a third vector. This means that the result has both magnitude as well as
direction. We can use different methods to calculate the cross product. One way to calculate it
is to take the product of the magnitudes of the two vectors and multiply by the sine of the angle
between them. Note that the direction of the vector is given by the right-hand rule and is
always perpendicular to the two vectors. If we are given two three-dimensional vectors and we
are asked to calculate the cross-product vector, we have to use the method as described in the
lecture.
What is It
Torque as a vector quantity
The vector or cross product is another way to combine two vectors; it creates a vector
perpendicular to both the originals. In vector form, torque is the cross product of the radius
vector (from axis of rotation to point of application of force) and the force vector.
Torque is the twisting force that tends to cause rotation. The point where the object
rotates is known as the axis of rotation. Mathematically, torque can be written as T = F * r *
sin(theta), and it has units of Newton-meters.
Recall that torque is a vector and is obtained by taking the product of two vectors.
Cross-product A⃗ ×B⃗ = C⃗
C⃗/= / A⃗/./ B⃗/. sinθ} magnitude of the vector C⃗ Direction of C: Orient your fingers in direction of A⃗
and curl in direction of B⃗, then your thumb will point in direction of C⃗. Note that the direction of
C⃗ is always perpendicular to A⃗ and perpendicular to B⃗.
If A = Ax i^+Ay j^ +Az k^ and B = Bx i^+By j^ +Bz k^
For the first element in the first row, we thus have: i^AyBz−i^AzByi^AyBz−i^Az By which
can be written as: (AyBz−AzBy)i^(AyBz−AzBy)i^ . Repeating the process for the second and third
elements in the first row (the j^j^ and the k^k^ ) we get (AzBx−AxBz)j^(AzBx−AxBz)j^ and
(AxBy−AyBx)k^(AxBy−AyBx)k^ respectively. Adding the three results, to form the determinant of
the matrix results in:
A⃗ ×B⃗ =(AyBz−AzBy)i^+(AzBx−AxBz)j^+(AxBy−AyBx)k^
A→×B→=(AyBz−AzBy)i^+(AzBx−AxBz)j^+(AxBy−AyBx)k^
Example Number 2:
Suppose the lever arm vector r⃗ is given by the equation r⃗ = 5 i^+6 j^+1 k^. Calculate the torque if
the force is F = 10 i^N
Solution:
Torque = (5 i^+6 j^+1 k^)(10 i^+0 j^+0 k^)
= (6X0 – 1X0) i^ + (1X10 – 5X0) j^ + (5X0 – 6X10) k^
= (0 – 0) i^ + (10 – 0) j^ + (0 – 60) k^
= 0 i^ + 10 j^ + -60 k^
= √(10𝑗^) 2 + (−60k^) 2
= √102 + 602
= √100 + 3600
= √3700
= 60. 83 N.m ( Magnitude of the Torque )
What’s More
Activity Number 2. FIND MY A⃗ ×B⃗!
A⃗ = 3 i^ + 2 j^ -5 k^
B⃗ = 2 i^ -6 j^ + 4 k^
Solve for A⃗ ×B⃗ ?
What I Have Learned
From the very start of our lesson, you have learned a lot about torque as a vector. In the
succeeding activities, you will make generalizations of your learnings
Now after we have done varied activities let us check how far you understood our lesson.
Answer the following questions as brief as you can.
1. Define operationally torque as a vector quantity.
2. Where does the direction of the torque vector depend?
3. What should always be the direction of C⃗?
What I Can Do
Activity Number 3. FIND MY A⃗ ×B⃗ and C
A⃗ = 4 i^ -2 j^ -6 k^
B⃗ = 5 i^ +4 j^ + 4 k^
Solve for:
1. A⃗ ×B⃗
2. C⃗
