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  1. AP Physics C Mechanics
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What is the difference between force and torque?

Force: A linear push or pull. | Torque: A rotational force that causes objects to spin.

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What is the difference between force and torque?

Force: A linear push or pull. | Torque: A rotational force that causes objects to spin.

What is the difference between the lever arm and the distance from the axis of rotation to the point of force application?

Lever arm: The perpendicular distance. | Distance: The direct distance, which may not be perpendicular and thus not used directly in torque calculation.

How do you determine the direction of torque using the right-hand rule?

  1. Point your fingers in the direction of r⃗\vec{r}r. 2. Curl your fingers towards the direction of F⃗\vec{F}F. 3. Your thumb points in the direction of the torque τ⃗\vec{\tau}τ.

What are the steps to calculating torque when the force is at an angle?

  1. Break down the force into components. 2. Identify the perpendicular component to the lever arm. 3. Calculate torque using the perpendicular component and the lever arm length.

How do you calculate the magnitude of torque using the cross product?

  1. Identify the magnitudes of r⃗\vec{r}r and F⃗\vec{F}F. 2. Determine the angle θ\thetaθ between r⃗\vec{r}r and F⃗\vec{F}F. 3. Calculate ∣overrightarrowτ∣=rFsin⁡θ|overrightarrow{\tau}| = rF \sin \theta∣overrightarrowτ∣=rFsinθ.

What is the effect of increasing the lever arm on torque, assuming force remains constant?

Increases the torque.

What is the effect of applying a force directly through the axis of rotation?

Produces zero torque.

What is the effect of increasing the angle between the force vector and the position vector on the magnitude of the torque (up to 90 degrees)?

Increases the magnitude of the torque.

Cause: A net torque is applied to an object. Effect?

The object experiences angular acceleration.

Cause: A force is applied perpendicular to a wrench handle. Effect?

The wrench rotates, applying torque to the bolt.