Question

3. For the meter stick shown in Figure 10-4, the force F1 10.0 N acts at 10.0 cm. What is the magnitude of the torque due to F1 about an axis through point A perpendicular to the page? Is it clockwise, or is it counterclockwise? Show your work and give correct units.

Answer 1

T torque
r = 0.1m (distance between the axis of rotation and point where the force acts)
F₁ = 10 N

|T| = r * F₁
|T| = 0.1 * 10 = 1Nm

If force F₁ acts to the right of point A, then the torque is trying to turn the meterstick clockwise.

There is a lot of guessing involved in this answer. The real equation for torque is:

`\vec \tau = \vec r * \vec F`

You should always post the given figure together with your question.