An object with a mass of #24 kg# is hanging from an axle with a radius of #14 m#. If the wheel attached to the axle has a radius of #42 m#, how much force must be applied to the wheel to keep the object from falling?

1 Answer
Jan 14, 2017

#8g N#

Explanation:

The moments must balance, so #24 xx 14 = F xx42#, where #F# is the force that must be applied. Hence #F=24 xx 14/42 = 8#. Hence #8g#, that is, the local weight of a mass of #8kg#, since one kilogram has a weight of #g# Newtons. (Informally, it would require a "weight' of 8kg on the wheel to balance the 'weight' of 24 kg on the axle.)