why does a washing machine vibrate violently if the clothes are not evenly distributed in the tub?

Answer 1

Because it is out of balance. It would be like you spinning around in a circle with a 20 lb bag of potatoes in one hand and nothing in the other hand. It would throw you off balance too.

Make sure your washer is level also. Adjust the feet on the bottom if it isn't.

Answer 2

The washing machine should be resting on a solid surface and be evenly balanced, otherwise the spin cycle will be affected. When the laundry becomes unevenly distributed it puts the tub off balance. More recent washing machines will not spin if there is an uneven balance. They usually have a sensor that will sound a warning buzz that will let you know. Those that have this feature cost more.

Answer 3

Because the center of mass of the washing machine is moving when a big clump of clothes is spinning around on the inside of it instead of being evenly distributed around the tub inside.

The moving center of mass causes an internal acceleration of the whole washing machine that will cause it to vibrate .. or if it was on a completely smooth and friction-free floor it would move around in a circle like the earth-moon system, because the mass of clothes is kind of orbiting inside the washing machine like the moon orbits around the earth.

Answer 4

The machine rotates at a considerable speed when it spins the clothes to remove the maximum amount of water. As it spins at high speed the weight must be distributed fairly evenly inside the tub, if it is not the tub becomes unbalanced and it wobbles, causing a vibration. The same is true of automobile tires when they wear unevenly or when you lose a weight from its rim, but it is more noticeable in tires because they spin at much higher speeds........KECK

Answer 5

Actually, it is because of rotational momentum. This a serious concern for all things that rotate (especially tires which is why they have those balls). Even if you have a system of particles rotating around a fixed axis, it doesn't mean they will stay that way. Uneven distribution results in a perpendicular angular momentum that is displaced from the axis of rotation at any given moment. Because angular momentum is always conserved (which is why gyroscopes work), it tends to want to shift the axis of rotation. This causes the axis to wobble which is the vibrating you notice. It is actually the same thing that happens to a top. Slight imperfections cause the direction of angular momentum to differ from the axis and thus creates wobble which only gets bigger.

Answer 6

Because the weight is not balanced and when it spins really fast it pulls hard to one side and rub/vibrates. It is the same principle with the tires on a car when they are installed they must be balanced using little clip on lead weights on the rim, if they did not they would also vibrate the faster they spin the more vibration and they would wear out prematurely.It is the same principle for all spinning mechanisms.

Answer 7

The load is out of balance... more weight on one side than the other causes the wash tub to spin lopsided and vibrate.

Answer 8

Because the center of mass of the wash barrel and clothes would no longer be at the center where the rotor is. It then becomes like swinging a cat around over your head by its tail. Both you and the washing machine would rock.

Answer 9

I think it's because the weight of the wet clothes is constantly being spinned to one side, which eventually causes the vibration..

Answer 10

Hold a bucket of water in your left hand, and spin around... Now hold one in each hand and spin around. Which way is easier?

It is because all the weight is on one side, and centrifugal force is pulling the washer off of its center axis. You need to have all the weight counter balanced on the other side to equalize the forces.