Can Your Weight Loosen the Lug Nuts?
Calculating Torque
Length of lug wrench: 0.3 m
Your mass: 50 kg
The torque required to loosen the lug nuts is 135 N-m. With a 0.3 m long lug wrench and a mass of 50 kg, let's determine if you can apply enough torque to meet this requirement.
Final Answer
If all your weight is applied perpendicularly at the end of the lug wrench, you can exert a torque of 147 N-m, which is greater than the 135 N-m required to loosen the lug nuts.Therefore, you can theoretically loosen the nuts if you apply all your weight at the end of the lug wrench.
Explanation
Calculating Torque:Torque = Force x Distance
Force of Gravity on your body = mass x acceleration due to gravity
Torque applied = Force x Distance
If you weigh 50 kg, the force due to gravity on your body is 490 N. By applying this force at the end of the 0.3 m lug wrench, you can generate a torque of 147 N-m. This torque is sufficient to meet the 135 N-m requirement, allowing you to loosen the lug nuts.