An object with a mass of #5 kg# is hanging from an axle with a radius of #15 m#. If the wheel attached to the axle has a radius of #3 m#, how much force must be applied to the wheel to keep the object from falling?
1 Answer
Rotational Equilibrium :
Explanation:
Rotational Equilibrium : A system is in rotational equilibrium if the net torque acting on it is zero. A system in rotational equilibrium will either not rotate at all or rotate at a constant angular speed.
In this case since we want the object to not fall, we must apply a torque that balances the torque generated by the weight of the hanging mass.
In this problem the radius vector is perpendicular to the applied force and so
[1] Torque due to the weight of the hanging mass is :
[2] Torque due to the applied force :
Rotational Equilibrium :