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Engineering Physics

Torque and angular acceleration

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 3, section B

Overview

Torque as the rotational analogue of force, and T = Iα.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Numbers

What is torque, and how does it relate to moment of inertia and angular acceleration?

Numbers

What do the terms in T = Iα mean, and how does it parallel F = ma?

Numbers

What unit does torque take, what does a net torque cause, and what does r mean in T = Fr?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    State the formula for torque in terms of force and perpendicular distance.

    Model answer

    T = Fr, where T is torque, F is force, and r is perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation.

  2. 2

    Define torque in words.

    Model answer

    Torque equals the product of force and the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation.

  3. 3

    Calculate the torque when force = 144 N, perpendicular distance = 1.28 m.

    Model answer

    Torque = 144 × 1.28 = 184 N m.

  4. 4

    State the equation relating torque to moment of inertia and angular acceleration.

    Model answer

    T = Iα, where T is torque, I is moment of inertia, and α is angular acceleration.

  5. 5

    Define each term in the equation T = Iα.

    Model answer

    T is torque (N m), I is moment of inertia (kg m²), and α is angular acceleration (rad s⁻²).

  6. 6

    Calculate the torque when moment of inertia = 14.5 kg m², angular acceleration = 7 rad s⁻².

    Model answer

    Torque = 14.5 × 7 = 102 N m.

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