Question

My professor told me torque can be calculated about any point in space, but would such a torque ever make sense even if the particle is rotating about some other axis, on which the point does not lie?

Options:
A) No, torque calculated about a point not on the axis of rotation does not provide meaningful information.
B) Yes, torque calculated about any point in space can always provide accurate information about the particle's rotational motion.
C) It depends on the specific properties of the rotating particle and the point chosen for torque calculation.
D) Only if the point chosen is within the plane of rotation, the torque calculation can make sense for a rotating particle.

Answer 1

Torque can be calculated about any point in space, and the computed torque always provides accurate information about a particle's rotational motion, regardless of whether the torque is calculated with respect to the actual axis of rotation or a different point.

Step-by-step explanation:

Your professor is correct in stating that torque can be calculated about any point in space. It is indeed possible to calculate the torque about a point not on the axis of rotation. However, while torque can be computed about any point, the meaningfulness of the torque with regard to the object’s actual rotation depends on the context.

The correct answer to the question is B) Yes, torque calculated about any point in space can always provide accurate information about the particle's rotational motion.

When calculating torque, we select a pivot point and use the lever arm distance from this point to the point of force application, along with the force applied and the angle between the two, to determine the torque.

The magnitude of the torque is affected by the length of the lever arm, and the direction of the torque is either clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the pivot point. This computation does not change regardless of whether the actual pivot point of the object's rotation coincides with the pivot point chosen for calculating torque.

Therefore, while the physical pivot point during rotation is essential for the actual movement of an object, the theoretical calculation of torque does not necessitate aligning with this physical pivot point.

In engineering and physics, analyzing torque about different points, including those not on the axis of rotation, can provide valuable insights into the forces and moments acting on a structure or mechanism.