Homework Help Forum: Moment/Physics

Posted by Mike on Tuesday, January 9, 2007 at 2:03am.

I understand a moment is a weight being moved by a particular distance. Although I am unable to establish what weight by how far would make a moment. eg 1 pound by 1 inch 1 pound by 1 foot 1 ton by 1 foot 1 Kg by ??? Explanation please. Mike You do not have to have motion to have a moment. "Moment" or "torque" is a measure of the strength or ability of a force to rotate something about an axis. The moment of a force always refers to a particular axis, and the axis can be arbitrarily defined. Multiply the force by the "lever arm" from the point where the force is applies to the axis of rotation. (Actual rotation does not have top take place). The only part of the force that matters when computing moment is the component perpendicular to the line between the force application point and the axis of rotation. Thank you drwls. I have seen a moment used in the calculation of steel beams used in the construction industry and ship stability calculations. The thing I do not understand is what I referred to in my question. What weight (mass) by what distance is a moment? Mike

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