How to Calculate the Torque on a Bicycle Pedal?

To find the magnitude of the torque about point P when a bicycle pedal is pushed by a foot with a force of 60 N and the pedal shaft is 16 cm long, we can use the torque formula:

Torque (τ) = Force (F) × Distance (r) × sin(θ)

In this scenario, the force applied is perpendicular to the pedal arm, which means the angle θ is 90 degrees. The sine of 90 degrees is 1, simplifying our calculation:

τ = F × r

Now, we need to convert the distance from centimeters to meters for standard units:

r = 16 cm = 0.16 m

Now plug the values into the torque formula:

τ = 60 N × 0.16 m

Calculating this gives:

τ = 9.6 N·m

Therefore, the magnitude of the torque about point P is 9.6 N·m.