GUIDELINES IN THE PREPARATION OF LABORATORY REPORT

The laboratory report is divided into sections:

1. Title Page
2. Signed Data Sheet
5 points
3. Objective
5 points
4. Materials and Method
10 points
5. Observations & Results
20 points
6. Discussion & Conclusion
20 points
7. Acknowledgment & Reference
10 points
TITLE PAGE
Write in plain style - avoid color and fancy decoration
Should contain the following information
o Title of experiment
o Your Name, email address and course information
o Score box
o Date of submission of the report

The format/template of the laboratory report is on the next page.

E204: TORQUE: SECOND CONDITION OF EQUILIBRIUM

SEMENIANO, Hubert B.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the experiment is to use and
understand the second condition of static
equilibrium.
The first condition of equilibrium looks at the
summation of the forces on a linear standpoint,
which means the forces acting on an object sum
up to zero, and the object does not move in a
straight line. The second condition states that the
object must not rotate. The summation of
rotational forces acting on an object is zero.
Torque is the rotational force. The torques on an
object in equilibrium is zero.
Torque is defined as the ability of force to change
or cause the rotational motion of an object.
Torque is measured using the perpendicular force
applied and the distance of the force to the axis
of rotation. The distance between the point on
which the force is applied and the axis of rotation
is called the lever arm or the moment arm. The
axis of rotation is the pivot point on which the
object is able to rotate. If the force applied is not
perpendicular to the lever arm, the angle with
respect to the lever arm is taken.

as the forces on the body, and the beam should

maintain its horizontal position.
For the second part, a pan with added weight will
be securely placed on the beam, a spring balance
will also be attached to the beam, but on a
different position from the pan and the axis of
rotation. The pull made on the spring balance
shall create force enough to bring the system
back to equilibrium.
And for the final part, the a second hole on the
beam will act as the axis of rotation, this change
shall cause a disturbance in equilibrium, and so a
pan will be placed on the side of the second hole
to balance the beam. The appropriate distance of
the pan from the new axis of rotation will bring
the beam back to its horizontal position.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The first part of the experiment is determining
the weight of the pans using the concept of the
second condition of equilibrium. The materials
needed are: a model balance with two pans and
a beam, set of weights, and a meter stick.

The formula for torque is:

Where r is the lever arm, F is the force, and is

the angle between the force and the lever arm.
In this experiment, the concepts mentioned will
be used. The experiment intends to show the
principles of torque by using a model balance
with a beam that has an axis of rotation right in
the center of it.
For the first part of the experiment, two pans
with weights will be placed at both sides with
varying distances from the axis of rotation, this
distance is the lever arm. The two pans will act

Figure A-1: Model Balance

2|Page

midpoint, one on the left side, and two on both

ends. The beam was attached to model balance
through the hole at the center to balance the
beam. But because of the hole on the left side,
the beam slightly favoured the right side of the
beam, a rolled or crumpled piece of paper was
inserted to the hole on the left end of the beam
to balance it.

Figure A-2: Pans

Figure A-5: The set-up

Figure A-3: Beam

Once balanced, the pans were hanged to both

sides of the beam, and mass were added on each
pan. The added masses were based on the
laboratory manual. The pans were moved to
different lengths or distances from the midpoint
of the beam, which is also the axis of rotation.
Figures A-6a and A-6b shows the measuring of
the distances.

Figure A-4: Set of Masses

The first step was to do the set-up, shown on
figure A-5. The beam has four holes, one in the

Figure A-6a: Measuring the distance

3|Page

Figure A-6b: Measuring the distance

The procedure was repeated for 2 more times
with increasing masses added and different
distances on each trial. It is important to make
sure that the beam maintains horizontal position
to consider the second condition of equilibrium
and to determine the pans masses.
The second part of the experiment is determining
the amount of force needed for the beam to be in
equilibrium. The model balance, beam, meter
stick and masses will still be part of the
experiment. This time, one pan will be used
instead of two. Other materials needed are: a
protractor, and a spring balance.

Figure B-1: Protractor

Figure B-2: Spring Balance

First thing is to hook the pan to one of the screws
on the left side of the beam. The distance of the
pan from the center is measured using the meter
stick. The pan had to be secured in place to
maintain the distance from the midpoint of the
beam. A mass of 50g was put in the pan. The
spring balance was also hooked on a different
screw on the same side. Its distance was also
measured. The spring balance was pulled
upwards (clockwise), until the beam retrieves to
its original, horizontal position.

Figure B-3: The Struggle

4|Page

By the time it was back on the horizontal

position, the force was read from the spring
balance; and the angle of inclination of the spring
balance with respect to the spring is read using
the protractor.

Figure B-5: The Struggle on trial 2

Figure B-6: Reading the Force and Angle on

trial 2
The third part of the experiment is determining
the weight of the beam, again, by applying the
second condition of equilibrium. The materials
used are the model balance with beam and a
pan, the set of weights, and the meter stick.
Figure B-4: Reading the Force and Angle
The force done by the spring balance on the
beam to maintain equilibrium was computed by
applying the concept of the second condition of
equilibrium.

For this part of the experiment, the axis of

rotation was the hole on the left side of the
beam. To balance the beam, a pan was attached
to the left side, and a 50g mass was added on
the pan.

The procedure done on this part of the

experiment was repeated, but the spring balance
was hooked on the right side and was pulled
downwards, still making clockwise action on the
beam.

Figure C-1: Adjusting the distance of the

pan
The pan was moved along the beam until the
beam balances out, which signifies equilibrium.
5|Page

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

In the first part of the experiment, the goal was
to compute the weight of each pan, again, using
the formula derived from the second condition of
equilibrium.

The solution can be easily found by using the

EQN mode on a calculator and inputting the
values of L2 and L4 as the coefficient of x, while
the values of L1 and L3 as the coefficient of y.
TABLE 1:
Figure C-2: Balanced beam

Actual value of P1: 24.8g

The distance of the pan and the center of gravity

of the beam to the new axis of rotation were
measured, respectively. The weight of the beam
was able to be computed by using the second
condition of equilibrium.

Actual value of P2: 24.8g

The entire procedure was repeated for two more

times, except the mass added on the pan was
made 60g and 70g for each succeeding trial,
respectively.
For comparison to the actual values, the pans
and beam was placed on a digital weighing scale
to determine their actual masses.

Trial
1
2
3

L1
cm
11
9.5
7.8

L2
cm
15
16
16.5

L3
cm
15
16
15

L4
cm
12.7
8.3
8.5

P2
g
27.53
26.65
26.46

P1
g
27.54
26.38
26.69

Average weight of pan 1, P1 = 26.87g

Average weight of pan 1, P2 = 26.88g
Percent Difference for P1 = 8.01%
Percent Difference for P2 = 8.05%
Sample Computation:
Trial 1
Given:
L2 = 15 cm, L1 = 11cm, W1 = 10g
L4 = 12.7 cm, L3 = 15cm, W2 = 5g
Using the equation:

P1 = 27.54g, P2 = 27.53g
Figures D-1a & D-1b: Weighing the beam
and pans

The second part was to determine the force

needed to be in equilibrium. On the first part of
the experiment, the pans on both sides of the
6|Page

beam are acting as the force applied on the

beam; for this part, one pan is removed and its
role is taken by the force on the pull at the spring
balance. By transposition and recalling the
formula of force, the equation can be re-written
as:

the equation in part 2, the weight of the beam

can be measured by replacing the Force and
Angle with the Weight:

A solution can be made by simply substituting

measured values to the equation and performing
transposition and arithmetic.

The Force can be computed by direct substitution

and transposition.

TABLE 3:

TABLE 2:

Trial

L1
(cm)

L2
(cm)

1
2
3

13.5
12
10.7

8
8
8

Force measured on first trial, based on spring

balance reading = 180g
Force measured on second trial, based on spring
balance reading = 110g

W1
+ P1
(g)
74.8
84.8
94.8

WB(comp)
(g)

WB(meas)
(g)

126.225
127.200
126.765

136.6

Sample Computation:
T

1
2

L1
cm

L2
cm

W1+P1
g

Fcomp
g

Fmeas
g

%diff

23
23

10.4
18

74.8
74.8

167.97
96.77

180
110

1.73
3.20

Trial 1
Given:
L1 = 13.5 cm, L2 = 8cm, W1 + P1 = 74.8g,
Using the equation:

Sample Computation:
Trial 1

WB(computed) = 126.225g

Given:
L1 = 23 cm, L2 = 10.4cm, W1
80

P1 = 74.8g, =

Using the equation:

Fcomputed = 167.975g
The third and final part of the experiment is to
determine the weight of the beam. This one has
a similar concept to the second part, except the
force acting to balance the beam will be the
weight of the beam itself, not a spring balances
pull. The beam not rotated at the center of mass
is the reason for disturbance in equilibrium. From

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

For this experiment, the group encountered fairly
few difficulties and errors compared to the prior
experiment. The procedures were followed and
the percent differences were pretty small. One
problem that could be a cause of error is the
horizontal position. It is important for each trial,
in any part of the experiment, for the beam to
end up in a horizontal position. Horizontal
position means equilibrium in this experiment. It
is difficult to see if the beam is in equilibrium
because, (1) the beam wasnt in equilibrium even
before the experiment was started; (2) when two
members try to check if it makes the horizontal
position, they would usually end up arguing
7|Page

whether the position was good or not, in short,

different standpoints means different perception;
(3) in the second part of the experiment, the
spring balance is pulled manually by a member, it
is difficult to hold a constant force on an object
especially when you dont have something for
your arm to lean on, thus the beam kept moving,
it also may have affected the angle. Another
problem is the length or the distance of the lever
arm. The lever arm is the perpendicular distance
of the force to the axis of rotation. In this
experiment, it is the L1, L2, etc. For the first part,
the group measured the distance of one before
adding mass and changing the distance of the
other pan. The change in distance of the other
pan will cause the beam to rotate to some extent
and that rotation may change the position of the
other pan by sliding since both pans were placed
to the beam and not on the screws on the beam.
The experiment was very successful this time
because the group was able to complete the
objectives with little percent differences. The
objective was to analyze the systems using the
second condition of equilibrium, and it was done
by computing the forces acting on the beam.

I would like to thank my parents, for their

support and understanding. I want to thank our
Lord Jesus, for giving me strength and wisdom.
I would also like to thank the lab assistants for
teaching us on how-tos of the materials, and of
course, our professor, Engr. Ricardo de Leon for
his continuing patience and understanding, and
the knowledge that he shares with us.

Halliday, D., Walker, J., & Resnick, R. Principles

of Physics (10th ed.).John Wiley and Sons
Physics Laboratory Manual, Mapua Institute of
Technology
http://www.physics.uoguelph.ca/tutorials/torque/
Q.torque.intro.html
http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfadd/1150/08Statics/
second.html

After looking at the results of this experiment,

especially on tables 2 & 3, I concluded that for a
rotational system, shorter distances require
stronger forces. It reminded me of every time I
try to open the gate of our house and push on
the side of the knob, the gate would open much
easier than when I try to push the same gate on
the side near the hinges.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT & REFERENCE

I would like to thank, first, my group mates for
everyones contribution and cooperation to this
very successful experiment on the concept of
torque and the second condition of equilibrium. I
would also like to thank the albums of Paramore
and The Script that helped me to stay awake,
together with that cup of Nescafe coffee, while
doing this laboratory report.

8|Page

9|Page