Why is the torque associated with T1 negative when it produces a counterclockwise rotation, and the torque associated with T2 positive when it produces a clockwise rotation? I thought that if the direction of rotation was counterclockwise, then the torque is positive, and if the direction was clockwise, then the torque is negative.
In the figure, block 1 has mass m1 = 0.460 kg, block 2 has mass m2 = 0.500 kg, and the pulley, which is mounted on a horizontal axle with negligible friction, has radius R = 0.0500 m. Tension T1, the tension force on block 1, is 4.54N. Tension T2, the tension force on block 2, is 4.87N. What is the net torque acting on the pulley?
Please note that I know that the answer is to be that taunet = -T1R + T2R
Why is the torque associated with T1 negative when it produces a counterclockwise rotation, and the torque associated with T2 positive when it produces a clockwise rotation? I thought that if the direction of rotation was counterclockwise, then the torque is positive, and if the direction was clockwise, then the torque is negative.
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