I would appreciate it if someone could give me an intuitive explanation of moments. I understand that that the center of mass could be thought of as the point which an object would balance on a fulcrum. But how do moments relate to this idea? My calculus book connects the ideas with equations and formulas, but I can't seem to get an intuition of what is actually happening. If someone could offer up a useful way of thinking of moments it would be most helpful.
Thanks.
Best Answer
A moment is the twist as a result of a force at a distance. Go try to loosed the lug nuts of a tire and you will notice that the further away you can push on the wrench, the less effort is needed for the same amount of twisting force.
A simpler example is to try to open a (unlocked & unlatched) door by pushing on it a various distances from the hinge. Try it, and let us know if that gave you a more intuitive feel for moments.