Thursday 14 November 2019

classical mechanics - Is it possible to apply a torque without a moment arm?


In some statics problems, the question may say something like "a torque is applied about Point B". I've always assumed this was a simplification and the torque was created using a force and a moment arm. Recently I learned that circularly polarized light can exert a torque on a quarter-wave plate as the plate converts the beam's angular momentum to linear momentum. In this case I can't determine where the moment arm is. Is it possible that there isn't one?



Answer



The answer by Geoffrey provides a good explanation for mechanical torque, but the origin of photon spin is not mechanical.


Photon torque has been measured, and there is no lever arm. See here and here and here.


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