At 15 minutes past the hour, a 50 g mouse runs up a grandfather clock and sits himself down at the end of the minute-hand. If the minute-hand for the clock is 16 cm long, what is the magnitude of the torque exerted by the mouse on the minute-hand? Give your answer in the standard units of N m
torque=forceatend*.16
= .050*9.8*.16
To determine the magnitude of the torque exerted by the mouse on the minute-hand, we need to calculate the torque formula, which is given by:
Torque = Force x Distance
In this case, the force exerted by the mouse is its weight, which can be calculated using the formula:
Weight = Mass x Gravity
The mass of the mouse is given as 50 g, which we need to convert to kilograms by dividing it by 1000:
Mass = 50 g / 1000 = 0.05 kg
The acceleration due to gravity, denoted by 'g', is approximately 9.8 m/s^2.
Weight = 0.05 kg x 9.8 m/s^2 = 0.49 N
Next, we need to find the distance from the axis of rotation (the center of the clock) to the location where the mouse sits. This distance is the length of the minute-hand, which is given as 16 cm. We also need to convert this to meters:
Distance = 16 cm / 100 = 0.16 m
Finally, we can substitute the values into the torque formula:
Torque = Force x Distance = 0.49 N x 0.16 m
Calculating the product:
Torque = 0.0784 N m
Therefore, the magnitude of the torque exerted by the mouse on the minute-hand is 0.0784 N m.