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GCSE Questions: Moments and Centre of Gravity

Q9. A drum is hit by a beater attached to a drumstick lever. The drumstick lever is attached to a foot-pedal by a chain, as shown in the diagram.

(a) When the toe is pushed down the force creates a moment on the foot-pedal.

(i) State what is meant by the moment of a force.

[1 mark]

(ii) The foot-pedal is pushed halfway down and held stationary.

The toe and the chain both exert a force on the foot-pedal.

Compare the sizes and directions of the moments caused by the force of the toe and the force of the chain on the foot-pedal.

[1 mark]

(iii) The drummer's toe pushes with a 1.5 N force on the foot-pedal. The perpendicular distance from the pivot to the force is 0.12 m. The perpendicular distance from the pivot to the chain is 0.20 m. Calculate the force of the chain acting on the foot-pedal.

[3 marks]

(b) The foot-pedal is pushed with different forces to make the beater move at different speeds. The higher the speed at which the beater hits the drum, the louder the sound the drum makes.

The diagram shows how the length of the drumstick lever affects the speed of the beater for three different forces.

 

The drummer needs to be able to sometimes play the drum quietly and sometimes loudly.

How does the length of the drumstick lever affect the variation in loudness of the sound from the drum when applying:

(i) a force of 3 N?

(ii) a range of forces from 3 N to 9 N?

[2 marks]

[7 Marks TOTAL]