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In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational analogue of linear force. [1] It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). The symbol for torque is typically , the lowercase Greek letter tau. When being referred to as moment of force, it is commonly denoted by M.
The moment of force, or torque, is a first moment: =, or, more generally, .; Similarly, angular momentum is the 1st moment of momentum: =.Momentum itself is not a moment.; The electric dipole moment is also a 1st moment: = for two opposite point charges or () for a distributed charge with charge density ().
F = total force acting on the center of mass m = mass of the body I 3 = the 3×3 identity matrix a cm = acceleration of the center of mass v cm = velocity of the center of mass τ = total torque acting about the center of mass I cm = moment of inertia about the center of mass ω = angular velocity of the body α = angular acceleration of the body
Euler's second law states that the rate of change of angular momentum L about a point that is fixed in an inertial reference frame (often the center of mass of the body), is equal to the sum of the external moments of force acting on that body M about that point: [1] [4] [5]
A change of reference frame can often simplify calculations of motion. For example, in a collision of two particles, a reference frame can be chosen where one particle begins at rest. Another commonly used reference frame is the center of mass frame – one that is moving with the center of mass. In this frame, the total momentum is zero.
The moment of inertia plays much the same role in rotational dynamics as mass does in linear dynamics, describing the relationship between angular momentum and angular velocity, torque and angular acceleration, and several other quantities. The symbols I and J are usually used to refer to the moment of inertia or polar moment of inertia.
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Torque-free precessions are non-trivial solution for the situation where the torque on the right hand side is zero. When I is not constant in the external reference frame (i.e. the body is moving and its inertia tensor is not constantly diagonal) then I cannot be pulled through the derivative operator acting on L.