Question

Which principle is used when a metre scale is balanced on a pivot to determine the mass of an unknown object?

Options

• Principle of conservation of energy

• Principle of moments

• Principle of superposition

• Principle of conservation of momentum

Answer 1

Principle of moments

Explanation:

The principle of moments states that for a body in equilibrium, the clockwise moment equals the anti-clockwise moment about the pivot. This allows us to calculate the unknown mass by equating torques on both sides of the pivot.