is it like a torque, the pivot point is the place where the branch connects to the trunk and the further u go you have more ,moment arm, Torque=Force X Moment arm.
But what is it with Torque that cause the branch to break?!
2006-09-26 03:22:24 · 4 answers · asked by sara_s200 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
You've got it with the moment-arm equation -- it's exactly the same as when I'm trying to break loose a stuck fastener on a rusty old car, I get a longer pipe and it creates a torque multiplier.
There are two elements of physics at work here. First, your moment arm is essentially a lever -- "give me a lever long enough and I will move the Earth," as Archimedes said. So the longer your lever, the more multiplication of torque is applied to the object being, er, torqued.
What causes the branch to break is that the amount of pressure applied by the torque couple (that is, the torque applied versus the resistance across the, er, "connector," in this case the place where the branch comes out of the tree) exceeds the tensile strength of the tree branch at some point. I'm not 100% sure how you'd calculate that; tensile strength is measured in units of weight per units of area (psi in the US). And torque is measured in units of weight per units of length (foot-pounds in the US). So there's got to be a standard conversion factor or we wouldn't be able to build bridges -- because of course the same physical forces that make the tree branch break when you hang far enough out on it will also make a bridge fall down if there's a big enough truck on it.
And sure enough, Google found me the right page. It's a big PDF file, so click on the Sources field, go make a cup of tea, and come back. When you do, look in the Contents list on the lower-left corner of the page and click the link reading "Pressure conversion by factor to obtain..." (that's all that shows in the window). That'll give you what you multiply to determine the tensile strength from the torque.
2006-09-26 03:51:06 · answer #1 · answered by Scott F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Give me a tree branch which is long enough,a fulcrum, and a place to stand, and I could move the entire Earth if the branch doesn't break first.
2006-09-26 10:31:45 · answer #2 · answered by GreenHornet 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the end of the branch is usually the thinnest.. so when you stand on the edge.. there is more pressure on just that small area..but when you are closer to the tree.. pressure is distrubited better over the large area..so it won break as easily
2006-09-26 10:31:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Weight and support strength
2006-09-26 10:31:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋