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Balancing Torque

Total questions: 21

Worksheet time: 22mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A uniform horizontal beam, pivoted at its right-hand end, is in equilibrium. A force of 60N acts vertically upwards on the beam as shown.

What is the weight of the beam?

a)

36N

b)

40N

c)

90N

d)

100N

2.

Four table lamps are shown along with the position M of the centre of mass in each case.

Which lamp is the most stable?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

3.

A uniform plank is pivoted at its mid-point. Two weights are added to the plank, one weight on each side of the pivot in the positions shown.

A vertical force is applied at point X to balance the plank. What is the size and direction of this force?

a)

2N Upward

b)

4N Upward

c)

2N downward

d)

4N downward

4.

A uniform beam is pivoted at its centre. Two weights are placed on the beam in the positions shown and the beam is balanced by an upward force F.

What is the size of F?

a)

6N

b)

12N

c)

30N

d)

60N

5.

The total weight of the load and the wheelbarrow shown is 600N.

What is the size of force F needed just to lift the loaded wheelbarrow?

a)

350N

b)

430N

c)

840N

d)

600N

6.

A beam of length 40cm is pivoted at one end. The weight of the beam is 4.0N and acts at a point 20cm from the pivot. A 2.0N weight hangs 10cm from the pivot.

An upward force U is needed to keep the beam horizontal.

What is the size of U?

a)

0.5N

b)

1.5N

c)

2.5N

d)

6.0N

7.

A car is designed to be stable.

To achieve good stability, where is the centre of mass of the car?

a)

above the front wheels

b)

above the rear wheels

c)

as high in the car as possible

d)

as low in the car as possible

8.

A man uses clay to make a pot. He wants the pot to be as stable as possible when placed on a flat surface.

Which two features of the pot must the man consider?

a)

the area of the base and the height of the centre of gravity

b)

the density of the clay and the area of the base

c)

the density of the clay and the height of the centre of gravity

d)

the weight and the height of the centre of gravity

9.

What affects the stability of an object?

a)

only its base area and the location of its centre of mass

b)

only its weight and its base area

c)

only the location of its centre of mass

d)

only its weight

10.

Which chair is the least stable if the child moves?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

11.

A piece of uniform card is suspended freely from a horizontal pin.

Which point is its centre of mass?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

12.

Two stretched springs X and Y are attached to one end of a metre rule as shown. A weight W is hung from the other end. A pivot is at the centre of the rule.

The weight W is moved towards the pivot.

How does the extension of each spring change?

a)

X increases & Y decreases

b)

X increases & Y increases

c)

X decreases & Y decreases

d)

X increases & Y decreases

13.

A beam pivoted at one end has a force of 5.0 N acting vertically upwards on it as shown. The beam is in equilibrium.

What is the weight of the beam?

a)

2.0N

b)

3.0N

c)

3.3N

d)

5N

14.

Four objects of equal mass rest on a table. The centre of mass of each object is labelled G.

Which object is the least stable?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

15.

The diagram shows a uniform balanced beam, pivoted about its centre.

What is the value of force P?

a)

5N

b)

7N

c)

10N

d)

13N

16.

The diagram shows four shapes, cut from the same piece of card.

Which shape has its centre of mass nearest to the base line?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

17.

A student balances a non-uniform object on a pivot. To do this, a weight is suspended near the left-hand end of the object.

Where is the centre of mass of the object?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

18.

A student finds the centre of mass of a triangular lamina PQR.

He drills a small hole at Q. He suspends the lamina from a pin through the hole at Q so that the lamina swings freely. He then hangs a plumb-line from the pin at Q, as shown. He marks the position of the plumb-line on the lamina.

To determine the location of the centre of mass, the student then repeats the experiment but with one change.

What is the change?

a)

He suspends the lamina from the hole at Q, with R on the left and P on the right.

b)

He suspends the lamina from a pin through a hole at R.

c)

He uses a heavier weight on the plumb-line.

d)

He uses a longer plumb-line

19.

A metal cone with a circular base is placed on a flat surface.

The stability of the cone depends on

a)

its weight only.

b)

the diameter of its base and the position of its centre of mass.

c)

the diameter of its base only

d)

the position of its centre of mass only

20.

Two blocks are placed on a beam which balances on a pivot at its centre. The weight of the beam is negligible.

Which diagram shows the forces acting on the beam? (The length of each arrow represents the size of a force.)

a)
b)
c)
d)
21.

The stability of a bus is tested by tilting it on a ramp. The diagram shows a bus that is just about to topple over. Where is the centre of mass of the bus?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D