I often get questions about astrology and the moon’s cycles as it relates to baby gender. People often ask me if they’re more likely to conceive a boy or a girl baby if the moon is full or new. I will discuss my take on this in the following article.

Does The Phase Of The Moon Affect Your Baby’s Gender?: Judging from the correspondence that I get, many people seem to believe that this is a possibility. I’m certainly not an expert in astrology or the moon’s cycles, but my research on this indicated that astrologers will tell you that if you ovulate and have intercourse within 24 hours of a full moon, you’re more likely to have a baby boy. But, if you ovulate and have intercourse within 24 hours of a new moon, you’re more likely to have a baby girl.

I can see how this type of timing might be fun to try to achieve. It’s neat to have a certain time of the month to shoot for, but this seems to only work if you are lucky enough for your ovulation to occur within the 24 hour time frame around the moon’s desired phase. This is not going to be the case for many women. And, knowing what I know about what determines baby gender scientifically, it’s a bit hard for me to buy into this.

Which sperm chromosome fertilizes your egg is what ultimately determines whether you have a boy or a girl. If an X sperm is what fertilizes you egg, then you will have a girl. If it’s a Y instead, then you will conceive a boy. A man’s sperm is said to have equal amounts of these two chromosomes which is one reason that the odds of having a boy or a girl are mostly equal. It’s hard for me to believe that the moon’s phases changes this equal ratio, but I suspect that there are other things which might.

Other Things (Besides Lunar Cycles) That Can Affect Your Baby’s Sex: As you might have guessed, I tend to place more stock in science than in astrology or lunar cycles. Since we already know that your baby’s gender is dependent on whether an X or a Y fertilizes the egg, what can you do to give an advantage to the sperm chromosome that you want to be successful? You can understand the attributes that make them behave in the way that they do.

The Y or boy producing sperm are the fastest but are also the most vulnerable. These die off much more easily and quickly. Time and acid are both enemies to them. So, if you want a girl baby, this is important to you. You can conceive early and make sure that you are acidic. If you want a boy, you will need to conceive later and try to counteract this acidity issue by become more alkaline.

On the other hand, the X or girl producing sperm are stronger but also slower. Their enemy is speed. Since it’s difficult to speed them up, the best approach here if you want a girl is to prey on the boy sperm’s weakness as was discussed above. You can change whether you are acidic or alkaline through your diet or through douching.

I know that it’s fun to think about the moon’s cycles. I do understand this. There’s no reason that you can’t combine science with astrology if you like. You can monitor your ovulation cycle using ovulation predictors and can also keep on eye on your acidity with PH test strips. If everything lines up when the moon is doing what you want it to do, that’s great. But I tend to doubt that your partner’s sperm is suddenly going to be stacked with X’s or Y’s just because of the position of the moon, but this is only my personal opinion and I do admit that astrology and lunar cycles are a bit of fun. That’s why there’s no reason you can’t use both methods.

I have reached the point, where I am, truly, sick – and – tired, of the convenient, holier – than – thou, mindset, so many use, to justify their personal/ political agenda and positions, and/ or, self – interest. When the newest of our Supreme Court Justices, refers to herself, as an Originalist, when she articulates her reasoning and judicial/ legal philosophy, we probably should, all be, extremely concerned! We live and exist, in an ever – evolving world, nation, and society, where many conditions, today, are far – different, from when the Constitution was created, nearly 250 years. Remember, at that point, there was still, legal slavery (which existed for about 100 years, afterwards), women did not have equal rights to men (All men are created equal – not, all people), and it was not until the 20th Century, when women got the right, to vote! Guns, of that time, needed to be reloaded, via, a set of steps, which took, close to two minutes to perform, so how could anyone, visualize, and/ or, perceive or conceive of, today’s weapons? When some wrap – themselves, in the 2nd Amendment, claiming an absolute right to carry and own a gun, they conveniently ignore the fact, the right to bear arms, predominantly, focused on State’s Rights, especially to create and have a State Militia, for protection against foreign invasion/ influence. With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, 4 fallacies, claimed and articulated, by these, so – called, Originalists.

1. Guns/ 2nd Amendment: How many more must die, because, we refuse to take, common sense, steps, to address, gun safety, and controls/ regulations? We license drivers, and register cars, but, so not have needed safety features, when it comes to gun ownership. The reality is, the 2nd Amendment, no matter how it is interpreted, does not give anyone, the unlimited right to own and use any weapon/ gun. How could the Founding Fathers, have, ever, visualized today’s weapons, especially, automatic, and semi – automatic guns, and, so – called, Assault (military – grade) rifles? Shouldn’t common sense, require, gun rights, conform, to overall, health and safety realities, and needed priorities?

2. Women’s Rights: The Constitution created a mechanism, to create additional Amendments, etc, as – needed, and supposedly, the Supreme Court, fairly, and equally decided, legalities, and Constitutionality! In the mid – 20th Century, Roe v Wade, was decided, granting a woman, the right – to – choose! It should have become a stated law and right, after this many years, yet, those trying to change it, either because of a religious, and/ or, political perspective/ agenda, are also claiming, they are doing so, by using, this Originalist interpretation!

3. Constitutional guarantees: Doesn’t it seem, strange, some people are claiming, they are protecting the intent, of the Founding Fathers (as if, only they, truly, know, the thought – processes, etc), when they selectively, demand enforcement of some aspects, while seemingly, trying to eliminate others! Freedom of Religion granted individuals, the right, to practice, any religion, of their liking, and/ or, none, yet, today, we seem some, trying to make us, believe, we live in a Christian State, even though, many Founders, were, agnostic, and/ or, atheists!

4. States Rights: The same people, who demand States Rights, when it serves their purposes, often refute these, when it is inconvenient!

Wake up, America, and demand, a Constitution, which is a living document, based on core, democratic principles, rights and freedoms! We must do so, sooner, rather than later, or risk losing, this nation’s identity!

By now you should have observed that for every debit entry that is given to an account, or for every series of debits given to several accounts, there is a credit or a series of credits of an equal amount given to some other accounts and vice versa. It follows, therefore, that any time the debit balances standing in all the ledger accounts will equal to credit balances.

At the end of the financial year (or at any other time) the balance (or totals) of all the ledger accounts arc extracted, and a schedule is prepared in journal form to test whether in fact, the total debits equal the total credits. This schedule of balances is called a Trial Balance.

If the totals agree-what does it mean? It provides a reasonably reliable check and proves the arithmetical accuracy of the book-keeping entries.

If the totals do not agree-what does it mean? It shows that there is definitely something wrong b (some error) either in thy passing of the double entry or in the extraction of balances.

Definition of Trial Balance

According to Carter, “Trial Balance is the list of debit and credit balances, taken out from ledger, it also includes the balances of cash and bank taken from cash book.”

According to Pickles, “The statement prepared with the help of ledger balances, at the end of financial year (or at any other date) to find out whether debit total agrees with credit total is called Trial Balance”.

According to Rowlland, “The final statement of balances, joint and mixed, is called Trial Balance”.

Ideal definition, “On the basis of different definitions given by different accountants at different times, following ideal definition of trial balance can be adopted :

“According to double entry system, after recording all the transactions into journal and posting them into ledger and ascertaining their balances, the statement prepared to ascertain the arithmetical accuracy of accounts on a certain date is called Trial Balance. It is the statement, on the basis of which Trading, Profit and Loss Account and Balance Sheet is prepared”.

On analyzing the above definition we obtain the following characteristics of Trial Balance :-

(1) According to double entry system. after recording all transactions until all Ute business transactions are journalized, and posted, strictly according to double entry system, a trial balance can’t be extracted.

(2) After finding out the differences of debit and credit sides of all the ledger accounts :- All the accounts opened in ledger totaled and balances (differences) are ascertained, only then trial balance can be prepared.

(3) Prepared on a particular date : Generally trial balance is prepared at the end of accounting year, but it can also be prepared monthly, half yearly or quarterly.

Preparation of Trial Balance

Trial Balance may be prepared either taking into consideration the total of each side of every ledger account. Thus you may follow either “Total Method” or “Balance Method”.

Total Method

If the total of debit sides of all the accounts in the ledger is placed in one column of the list and similarly total of credit sides of all the accounts in the ledger is placed win another column of the list then this list of total (Trial Balance) will be known to have been prepared with the Total Methods.

Balance Method

Second method of preparing Trial Balance is to find out the difference of the ‘ sides of every account. If debit side of an account is bigger, than insert the difference on the credit side of the account. It is known as ‘debit balance’. If credit side of an account is bigger, then insert the difference on the debit side of the account. It is known as ‘credit balance’. Now prepare list of balances (Trial Balance) by putting all debits balances in one column and credit balances in another column. Such method is known as Balance Method.

If you own a PC you will no doubt have experienced the slowing down of the operating system over a period of time, and will have been directed to perform a defrag of your hard drive to straighten out the organisation of the file system and improve the access speed. This is like a tonic for the system, and can make a visible difference in performance.

In a similar way, our brains can get befuddled during a day’s busy activity, whether you’re in a job that entails a lot of brain activity or not. Stressful situations in any area of life can cause excessive brain activity leading to lack of focus and concentration, causing headaches and creating self-perpetuating poor performance levels.

Brainwave entrainment uses sound technology in the form of monaural beats, binaural beats or isochronic tones to produce changes to the brain which will cause a positive effect on the whole metabolism. Although binaural beats have been used for a long time to help with meditation and relaxation techniques, they can also be used for the opposite affect and are very effective in providing an instant energy boost by taking you quickly to a delta brainwave pattern.

The delta state is that which is experienced during a rejuvenating sleep and provides us with a similar boost of energy to that following a catnap. Imagine being able to boost your energy at any time of the day knowing that you will be able to face the rest of the day feeling fully rejuvenated and full of vitality.

Just 10 minutes at lunchtime can prepare you for a busy afternoon and if you are a busy housewife (or husband) you can recharge your batteries using one of the longer sessions for a longer and more prolonged affect.

There are brainwave entrainment downloads available to provide varying results depending on individual’s requirements and circumstances.

There are three main types of brainwave entrainment sessions :

Binaural beats – These have been around for a while now and are used by many people looking for help with their lives. They are designed to be played by earphones or headphones for full effect. By playing different frequencies into each ear the result is interpreted as a beat equal to the difference of these frequencies. Because our ears have a hearing threshold above a level of 20hz or so, by playing frequencies of say 104hz into one channel and 100hz into the other, a beat of 4hz will be produced resulting in a delta state.

Monaural beats – These use tones of an equal frequency pulsing on and off and are played synchronously into both ears. They can be listened to using normal speakers or headphones if preferred and have a more beneficial effect than binaural beats.

Isochronic tones – The third type of brainwave entrainment uses the latest sound technology and headphones are preferred but optional. The intensity of tones and cleaner waveforms produced have more effect than either binaural beats or monaural beats and have a more pronounced effect, which harmonizes better with the human brain.

Do you know at that using Manuka honey as moisturizer is effective in keeping the skin young looking? Honey as moisturizer has been known throughout history for being effective in improving the overall health of the hair and the skin.

Check out the history books in beauty and you will not be surprised to see many prominent historical figures that have been known to use honey to maintain and improve beauty. Cleopatra of course is the most famous of these historical figures.

Read to find out why honey as moisturizer is a sought after beauty enhancer.

Essential Qualities of Honey

Honey is primarily known for its moisturizing quality. This is why honey as moisturizer is well documented. The application of honey on the skin makes the skin better hydrated and thus becomes softer and smoother. Honey does not just hydrate the skin, it also improves the skin’s capacity to retain moisture. This is because honey is a known humectant. A humectant is a substance that allows the skin to attract and absorb moisture from its surroundings.

Honey is also known to contain anti-oxidants. This is perfect because parched and dry skin is usually more prone to irritation, infection and inflammation. The moisturizing effect of honey alleviates the parched and dry characteristics of the skin while its potent anti-oxidant protects the skin from irritation, infection and inflammation.

Not All Honey are Equal

There is such a thing as good, better, and best because not all things are equal. This is also applicable to honey. Manuka honey has been clinically proven to be more superior in its beauty enhancing properties compared to all other types of honey.

Manuka honey is derived from a New Zealand native bush known as Manuka. Manuka honey has what scientists call UMF (unique manuka factor) that separates it from the other types of honey.

It has been shown in clinical studies that Manuka honey has special enzymes that contain anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties that can penetrate deeply in all layers of the skin. This gives Manuka honey greater healing properties.

Through Manuka honey’s potent anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties, the skin is better protected from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays and environmental pollutants (also known as free radicals). Also, because it has anti-microbial content, it can facilitate better skin cell repair and skin renewal. In fact, Manuka honey has been proven to effectively alleviate the symptoms of serious skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. This only tells you how potent the anti-oxidant properties of Manuka honey are.

When the skin is better protected from the harmful effects of free radicals, skin damage is greatly prevented. On top of this, the essential collagen bundles responsible for the firmness, elasticity, and flexibility of the skin is also protected from breaking down because the free radicals cannot penetrate through the skin due to the protection that manuka honey provides.

Thus, manuka honey as moisturizer is really a misnomer. Manuka honey is not just a moisturizer, it is a beauty enhancer. Thus, make sure that your skin care product contains this ingredient.

The subject of net neutrality has been the topic of many discussions on the U.S. forums and discussion boards since long now. To first understand why many businesses are so upset about the subject, you have to understand what net neutrality is.

What is net neutrality? According to an article in Business Insider, net neutrality prevents Internet providers from dictating the kinds of content users would be able to access online. Instead, Internet providers are required to treat all traffic sources equally. Why is this topic so controversial that the U.S. Court of Appeals had to weigh-in? Because Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast want to charge for use of their networks. Meaning, these providers will have the ability to pick and choose what consumers see online and to then charge content providers.

The internet speed is basically a fixed sum game. If your competition can afford to pay to drive on the fast lane, then by default your small business gets put in the slow lane. The deeper the pockets of the company, the more competition they can speed past on the way to new customers. Right now many small bloggers and start up websites are afforded the exact same opportunity to reach an audience as the big corporations. However, it is important that you understand what net neutrality is and how it can affect you. When you boil it down, net neutrality means that all data is equally accessible via the Internet. This means that regardless of whether you are a small accounting firm or one of the big name international firms, you have equal access to placing information and accessing other information via the web. You must also factor in things like advertising and marketing budgets to get the word out, but in terms of accessibility, you’re on a level playing field with the big dogs. If net neutrality goes out the window, so does that equal accessibility. Some things to consider:

Paying More For Better Access:

No net neutrality means that Internet service providers (ISPs) will be able to create tiers of accessibility, meaning they can start demanding more money for better accessibility. Smaller businesses with tiny budgets won’t be able to compete for access with the larger companies who can afford to pay the new fees. It also means that there’s nothing to stop big companies or competitors from paying ISPs to slow access to other sites, thus effectively putting them out of business.

Limited Access to Content:

ISPs will be able to limit what you have access to base on their own corporate interests. From Business Insider: “For example, Comcast would probably like to promote NBC’s content over ABC’s to its Internet subscribers. That’s because Comcast and NBC are affiliated. But net neutrality prevents Comcast from being able to discriminate, and it must display both NBC’s and ABC’s content evenly as a result. That means no slower load time for ABC, and definitely no blocking of ABC altogether.” If net neutrality is gone, there’s nothing to prevent corporate discrimination like this, meaning your window shopping for vendors may be limited to just those on Rodeo Drive. Your favorite information sources may not be as fully available to you as they are now.

Limited Access For Potential Clients:

While the previous example explained how you would be limited in what you could access (potentially increasing costs for your business as your options dwindle), it works the other way as well. Prospects will now have a harder time finding you as well. Entrepreneur likens this to when you buy cable TV: “Instead of being able to sell to anyone with an internet connection… entrepreneurs would find their customers limited to those who paid for the ‘internet package’ that covers access to their particular website. It would be like your cable TV plan: The more you pay, the more channels you receive.” In essence, your clients may only be directed to window shop Rodeo Drive and not realize there are more efficient and equally effective options like you out there.

Slower Load Times:

So let’s say ISPs don’t altogether block access to those sites that aren’t part of their approved network. That doesn’t mean they won’t try to incentivize you to visit their preferred sites. They can do this by interrupting streaming or slowing load times on websites that don’t pay a premium. The speed and reliability of a site can make or break you. Admit it, you’ve just decided to leave a page when it took more than a couple of seconds to load. That impatience is universal and could affect traffic on your website. And if you wanted to engage in video marketing and stream on your website, you might be up the creek without a paddle (slowly, very slowly drifting).

Leveraging Video Marketing:

SMBs that depend on video (such as YouTube, Netflix, etc.) as part of their marketing strategy could be impacted if net neutrality is eliminated. For instance, if your company streams videos to homes across the country, or if you want customers to view your company’s product videos, then there’s a probability you might be affected. Similarly, if SMBs can’t afford to pay ISPs to share their content, their prospective customers may be unable to view the product videos and may not be enticed to purchase their products. Moreover, the investment on producing and optimizing the videos will result in a financial loss. The FCC decision, thus, could have an impact on your SMB and how you are able to access the internet in the future.

As a small business owner, it’s important to understand net neutrality. The decisions being made could possibly have an impact on your small business and how you are able to access the Internet in the future.

Whether it is going outside in the elements or being snug and cozy in bed at night, you want to know what is the very best insulator you can get and maybe know it is coming from an ethical source.

You probably grew up with wool blankets or a polyester comforter, possibly even a silk blanket or cotton blanket. There again you might have been one of the fortunate who grew up with a down comforter or if you are of a certain age, an “Eiderdown”, known in the UK to be a comforter which over the years could have been filled with feathers, horsehair and maybe a blend of feathers and down. Given it was so thick and only sat on top of the bed (in equal parts for decoration and warmth), it was likely not all down.

Down is simply nature’s best insulator. Down is not the same as feathers. Feathers are for flying, they have a bony quill down the center. Down is the fluffy part needed for insulation usually on the breast of the bird. Down is many more times the price of feathers. Its quality is measured by the size of the down cluster (fill power) and the number of whole down clusters per ounce. (To be called all down 10% of “fly”, pieces of a down cluster, or the tiniest of feathers is allowed. These extremely tiny feathers cannot be separated out during the cleaning process as they are too small).

Nothing compares to down, not wool or polyester and definitely not cotton, (this would be more for just summer). However all down is not created equal. The most prized and rare down is Eiderdown. It has very powerful thermal properties and is super light and soft. It is gathered from the birds’ nest after it is no longer needed. Eiderdown ducks live in Iceland, Norway and parts of northern Canada.

Goose or duck down is more abundant in the world coming from countries as a by product as geese and ducks are part of the cultural diet. Goose down is usually loftier than duck down and comes mainly from Europe. Due to colder climates and coming from more mature birds the down clusters are large (anything 650 to 850 fill power is considered luxury quality), and therefore traps more body heat to keep you warm. Duck down comes predominantly from China, from younger birds with much smaller down clusters. The fill power is commonly 550.

If you are concerned about where your down is from and if is it ethically sourced, there is a new standard that you can read about at RDS.org.

What is Silicone Putty?

It is a two-part RTV silicone rubber, non-toxic material with the viscosity of putty for making simple but detailed moulds. The mould will withstand temperatures up to 315°C.

This rubber does not require moulds or containers which liquid silicon or our RTV rubber requires. You simply mix equal parts of Part A and an equal quantity of Part B which requires less time and skill in preparing the rubber ready for application.

Simply put, it is the fastest, easiest means of producing a reusable mould that is flexible and accurate.

Safety Precautions

It is safe to use and does not give off any toxic fumes. Those who are allergic to silicone should still take all the necessary safety precautions. For most people however there is no need for gloves.

Silicone putty comes in two forms. A general purpose putty and one that is manufactured with food safety in mind that may be used in the manufacture of chocolates and other food materials.

Recommended Storage

Keep in a cool dark storage place with the lids firmly closed. If the putty is not exposed to air it will last for more than one year.

Mixing

Part A and Part B of the silicone putty is coloured differently to enable you to ensure even and proper mixing. Don’t worry about weighing each part. Just estimate as closely as possible an equal size ball of each part. Knead them together with your fingers until the colour becomes uniform and without streaks. It is advisable to take only a minute or less to do this as the silicone starts curing soon after mixing.

How to use Silicone Putty

Once you have mixed the silicone putty press it over and around the object to create the impression. Let is set for 5 to 10 minutes. When pressing the putty over the model start by pressing from the centre of the object and moving outwards to ensure no air is trapped in the impression.

Silicone putty easily traps air as its viscosity doesn’t allow bubbles to rise as it does with liquid silicones so be careful.

A mould release is unnecessary as silicone does not stick to other objects, however one difficulty is that it can become entrapped in wood fibres and become difficult to remove. If the putty is pushed against a vertical surface it may fall away if not supported due to the easy release properties of the putty.

Unlike a mould made from a liquid silicone you will not finish with a level base to facilitate casting. One way to get around this is to attach two wooden strips to the bottom side of the putty which will act as legs on the mould.

Once the silicone putty has set it will allow you to rest the mould on these strips making a level mould to cast.

As silicone putty begins to set up in as little as three minutes after you have finished kneading, you must work quickly. Extend the putty out to at least 1 cm on all sides of the object to provide a level surface around the mould opening.

As silicone will stick to silicone any thin areas can be repaired by adding additional putty to the completed mould.

What can the moulds be used for?

Silicone Putty moulds can be used at high temperatures such as that of an oven. Therefore Polymer clays can be hardened in the moulds. All types of resin can be used as well as plasters. Chocolates and sweets can be formed in the food safe silicone putty moulds.

By Stan Alderson

The pleasure that comes with sex is more than enough to make most people want to perform the act. But men and women alike may be pleased to learn that a healthy sex life contributes to a healthy life overall in many ways. Most know that frequent sexual activity is good for one’s mood and for men’s penis health, but may be surprised to discover just how far-reaching the health benefits of this highly enjoyable activity are. The following are what people with active sex lives can look forward to, in addition to the obvious.

1) Lower Blood Pressure

One study found that intercourse reduced systolic blood pressure, while masturbation did not. Systolic blood pressure is the first number given in a blood pressure reading, and indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart muscle contracts. High amounts of pressure on the arterial walls can lead to the kind of damage that increases the chances of clogged arteries and heart disease, so lower blood pressure is better.

2) Increased Immune Function

Sex once or twice a week was found by researchers to correspond with an increased level of a major antibody, indicating better immune function. People having this amount of sex had three times the amount of immunoglobulin A as those having either less or more frequent sex.

3) Better Heart Health

Sex is good for the heart not only because it may lower blood pressure, but because it counts as exercise. A romp in the sack that leaves one breathless can increase one’s heart rate enough to be considered a cardio session, and cardio strengthens the heart. One study into men’s heart attack risk found that those who had sex two or more times a week were half as likely to die of a heart attack.

4) Fast Pain Relief

Sex, and particularly orgasms, release endorphins in the body, which act similarly to opiates. They can nip pain in the bud. Some find that aches in the back, legs and head in particular are reduced after climaxing.

5) Prostate Protection (Possibly)

For men, frequent ejaculation may lower the risk of developing prostate cancer – and the ejaculation can occur with a partner or by masturbating. Some theorize that carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances may be released during emission.

6) Better Sleep

That hazy, relaxed feeling people get after having an orgasm is caused in part by the release of oxytocin. This may contribute to faster and better sleep.

7) Better Memory

Memory loss is one of the more common, and frightening, things people tend to experience as they age. But maintaining a healthy sex life may help stave off memory loss and boost one’s brain function. Researchers have found that older people who are sexually active have healthier brain function than those who don’t have sex much. They have also found that sexual activity corresponds with increased cell growth in the hippocampus, the area of the brain that is responsible for long-term memory.

Men who want to have more sex in their lives would do well to take the best care of their packages as possible. Along with proper hygiene, they can incorporate a penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) into their care regimens for maximum penile health. Skin issues like dryness and flakiness can interfere with a man’s ability to enjoy the friction associated with sex, and can also be a turn-off to potential partners. A quality crème like Man1 Man Oil, specifically made for the penis, contains Shea butter and vitamin E, two natural moisturizers that work together to provide and seal in moisture. Also important is vitamin C, which promotes collagen production for smooth, attractive, inviting penile skin. Boosting penile health is likely to boost a man’s sexual health.

Out of these three terms, most people are probably more familiar with torque. Torque is casually defined as the rotating force about a given axis – such as a turning screw driver or steering wheel. The standard SI unit for torque is the newton meter, denoted as N·m or just N m. A newton meter is defined as a force of one newton applied perpendicularly to a moment arm that is one meter long.

I will get into the more technical definitions of terms below, but just remember that although the information in this article is considered more or less standard, terminology varies to some degree depending on country and region.

For example, torque is often widely and loosely used to mean any rotating force regardless of any external factors, and this is not necessarily wrong, per se. But when describing more detailed components of objects in rotation and related forces, this requires more specific terminology. Besides the more common torque, moment and couple are also closely related to rotation, so let’s explore the relationship and differences.

Moment Vs. Torque

In physics, the two are used synonymously, whereas in mechanical engineering, they are slightly different. Understanding the seeming contradiction or discrepancy may help you in deciphering their meanings in various contexts. Since physics treats these two the same, let’s find out how mechanical engineering defines them.

In mechanical engineering, moment is the more general term for the tendency or effect of one or more forces which are applied to an object to cause a rotation about an axis. A torque on the other hand, is the moment of what’s called a couple, or a pure moment, and requires a net-force of zero. A couple is the mechanical system we see in action when turning a screw with a screw driver.

As per the name, a couple is a pair of forces, equal but opposite, running parallel to each other such that their lines of action don’t coincide or intersect. The net-force of these two parallel and opposing forces equal zero as one is positive and the other negative, “canceling” each other out. There is a rotation but no translation or acceleration of its center of mass.

“Sorry, but I still don’t get what a couple is.”

To illustrate the concept of a couple better, consider the turning of a flathead screw with a driver. As you position the driver tip into the screw-head and begin applying torque, you should be able to visualize the two opposing forces working to turn the screw in perpendicular directions to the “minus” slot on the screw-head. This is a simple couple at work.

In other words, a couple can be described as the combination of two equal and opposite forces that rotate an object about an axis, with torque being its “moment”. Once again, moment and torque are interchangeable in physics, but not in engineering. In this context, torque can be thought of as the force that is produced by a “twist”, as opposed to one that is produced by a lever arm attached to a fulcrum.

Other Differences between Moment and Torque

Other commonly accepted differences include moment being used for statics-related situations such as non-rotational analysis of beams, and torque being used for cases where an object is turned about an axle or pivot, such as the above example of a screw driver. In such cases, torque can also be used when a lever arm is present as in, “the longer the lever arm, the more ‘torque’ you get”.

As you can see, there are generally accepted definitions which delineate the two terms, but there is also some inconsistency as well, depending on context and region. It’s best not to get too hung up on the exact “definition” of each, but to simply have a basic knowledge of how these terms are generally treated so you can find your bearings. In most cases you can correctly assume the meaning for the term in question by the context.

Denotations for Moment and Torque

In engineering, a moment is the effect equal to the applied force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the pivot point – τ = r×F, where τ (tau) is the moment, r is the distance, and F is the force applied.

This is in contrast to the definition of torque in this context, which is equal to the applied force multiplied by the perpendicular distance between the two opposing forces of a couple – τ = F×d, where τ is the torque, F is the applied force, and d is the perpendicular distance between the parallel forces.

Note the difference in denotations where r is used for moment, and d is used for torque. The symbol “r” is usually used to denote radius, which is exactly what it’s being used for here. The lever arm extends from the fulcrum and its length equals the radius of an imaginary circle it would make if it were to complete a revolution. The “d” on the other hand, can be seen as used to distinguish the couple from the moment, and as such, describes the distance between the two opposing force vectors which make up a couple.