Question

If the magnitude of the torque needed to loosen a nut on a car's tire is 35.0 nm, what is the minimum force that the mechanic needs to apply at the end of a 0.500 m wrench to loosen the nut?

Answer 1

The minimum force needed to loosen the nut is 70.0 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the minimum force needed to loosen the nut, we need to calculate the torque applied to the nut. Torque is the product of the force (F) applied perpendicular to the wrench handle and the distance (r) from the nut to the point where the force is applied. This equation for torque is obtained by:

Torque = Force x Distance

From the given information, the magnitude of the torque needed is 35.0 Nm and the length of the wrench is 0.500 m. Substituting these values into the above equation, we can solve for the force:

Torque = Force x Distance

35.0 Nm = Force x 0.500 m

Force = 35.0 Nm / 0.500 m = 70.0 N

The minimum force that the mechanic needs to apply at the end of the wrench to loosen the nut is 70.0 N.