Mechanical Eng.

Lab No :

UNIVERSITI KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIA FRANCE INSTITUTE
TITLE : Simple moment experiment

1. Objectives
To demonstrate the equilibirium of moments
2. Abstract
First conditions of equilibrium state that horizontal and vertical components of all forces
acting on a body must add up to zero. Moment of force (Mo) is measure of the forces
tendency to cause rotation. Mo = F x d where d is referred to as moment arm or
perpendicular distance from axis at point o to the line of action of the force. Units are N.m
If sums of all forces and all moment taken about point 0 are zero, the body is said to be in
statical equilibrium
Fx = 0
Fy = 0
Mo = 0
Sum of Fx and sum of Fy represent the algebraic sums of the x and y components of all the
forces acting on the body, and sum of Mo represent the algebraic sum of the moments of all
these force components about an axis perpendicular to the x-y plane.
Simple moment apparatus are demonstrate clockwise and counter clockwise moments of all
forces acting on the simple beam in equilibrium. By convention, counterclockwise moments
are assigned a positive sign, while clockwise moments are given a negative sign.

3. Material / Equipment Used :

Ruler, 150 g, 200 g, 250 g, 300 g, 350 g of weightage, pivot bar.
4. Experiment Procedure

1. All the apparatus was set up as shown in figure above.

2. Pivot bar should be in balance and pulleys must be attached using bolt and nut.
3. Then, the weight 1, weight 2,on the left hand side and weight 4 hook at right hand side
was hang around in a fix position at pivot bar.
4. Experiment was began with the initial weight 150 g of weight 3. The distance of weight 3
was adjusted so the pivot bar in static equilibrium.
5. The distance was observed and recorded in table and moment of inertia was calculated.
6. The experiment was repeated using different weight of 200 g, 250 g, 300 g and 350 g.

5. Observation And Result

The sum of the forces in one direction is equal to the sum of the force in the opposite
direction.

The sum of the anticlockwise moments about any point is same to the sum of clockwise

moment at any point.

The moment can be calculated by multiplying force act on the pivot bar and

perpendicular distance between pivot bar and force

The weight and distance should be use different value, there are two variable in this
experiment that is force and perpendicular distance between pivot bar and force.

6. Discussion

7. Conclusion

8. References
1. http://humil.net/engineering/mm102-simple-moments-apparatus
2. http://www.slideshare.net/KikolineTiwas/procedures-and-observations-for-principle-ofmoment-experiment

3. Hibbeler. R. C. S. C. Fan, Kai Beng. Yap, and Peter Schiavone. Static: Mechanics For
Engineers. Singapore: Pearson, 2013.