Group Problems: More Equilibrium

Bellevue AP PhysicsKralovich
Q1. A thin horizontal bar AB of negligible weight and length L is pinned
to a vertical wall at A and supported at B by a thin wire BC that
makes an angle with the horizontal. A weight W can be moved
anywhere along the bar as defined by the distance x from the wall
(see right). (a) Find the tension FT in the thin wire as a function
of x. Find (b) the horizontal and (c) vertical components of the
force exerted on the bar by the pin at A.
(d) Suppose the bars weight is 4W. Find the tension in the wire
as a function of x.
Ans.

a) A F sin L Wx 0 F

C
x
W
A

Wx
L sin

Wx
Wx
x
sin W FpinAy 0 W
F pinAy W (1 )
L sin
L
L
Wx
Wx
cos FpinAx 0
FpinAx
Fx
L sin
L tan
Fy

b,c)

d) A F sin L Wx 4WL / 2 0 F

Wx
2WL
Wx

x 2L
L sin L sin L sin

Q2. A strong man holds one end of a 3.00-m rod of mass 5.00-kg at rest in a horizontal position. (a) What total
force does the man exert on the rod? (b) What total torque does the man exert on the rod? (c) If you
approximate the effort of the man with two forces that act in opposite directions and are separated by the
width of the mans hand, which is taken to be 10.0 cm, what are the magnitudes and directions of the two
forces?
Ans. a)F=Mg=(5.00kg)(9.8)=49 N
b) end 0 man (49 N )(3 / 2m) man 73.5 Nm
c)The hand that pushes down on the end of the rod exerts no torque on the rod, so the hand that pushes up must
provide the 73.5Nm torque. Since the force is applied 0.1m (10 cm) from the end of the rod, the force must be 735
N.

Q3. A thin rod 60 cm long is balanced 20 cm from one end when a mass of 2m + 2 grams is at the end nearest the
pivot and a mass of m at the opposite end (see top figure). Balance is again achieved if the mass 2m + 2 g
is replaced by the mass m and no mass is placed at the other end (bottom figure). Determine the mass M of
the rod and the mass m.
60 cm
20 cm
(2m + 2) grams

40 cm
m grams

m grams

pivot m(20cm) M (10cm) 0 M 2m

Ans.

Assuming CCW is positive:

pivot (2m 2)(20cm) 2m(10cm) m(40cm) 0

(40mcm 40cm) (60mcm) 0 (40cm) (20mcm)
m 2g, M 4g

Q4. A 360-kg mass is supported on a wire attached to a 15-m long

steel bar that is pivoted at a vertical wall and supported by a
cable as shown. The mass of the bar is 85 kg. (a) With the
cable attached to the bar 5.0 m from the lower end as shown,
find the tension in the cable and the force exerted by the wall
on the steel bar.
Ans.

10 m
60

The rod is at a 60 degree angle with respect to the wall and 30

degrees with respect to the horizontal
Assume CCW is positive. Take the torques about the lower end,
using the components of the weights that are perpendicular to the
bar. Assume up and right are positive.

Fy Fwally (360kg )(9.8) T cos 30 (85kg )(9.8) 0

Fx Fwallx T sin 30 0
lowerend (360kg )(9.8)(15m)(cos 30) T (5m) (85kg )(9.8)(7.5m)(cos 30) 0
(360kg )(9.8)(15m)(cos 30) (85kg )(9.8)(7.5m)(cos 30)
10248 N
(5m)
Fwallx T sin 30 5124 N (right )

Fwally (360kg )(9.8) T cos 30 (85kg )(9.8) 4515 N ( down)

360 kg

Q5. A uniform, 5.00-m ladder weighing 60 N leans against a frictionless vertical wall. The foot of the ladder is 3
m from the wall. What is the minimum coefficient of static friction necessary between the ladder and the
floor if the ladder is not to slip?
Ans.

The ladder makes a 3,4,5 triangle, (height is 4 m). Assume CCW is positive

Fy F floory 60 N 0 F floory 60 N
Fx F floorx Fwallx 0
upperend 60 N (1.5m) F floory (3m) F floorx (4m) 0 F floorx 22.5 N
F floorx mg 60 N 22.5 N 0.375

Q6. A cubical box weighs 892 N and has sides of length L. It is desired to roll the box by pushing horizontally
on one of the upper edges. (a) What minimum force is required? (b) What minimum coefficient of static
friction is required? (c) Is there a more efficient way to roll the box? If so, find the smallest possible force
that would be required to be applied directly to the box.
Ans.

The box will roll about the corner opposite of which is being pushed on, assuming there is friction.

Fy F floory 892 N 0 F floory 892 N

Fx Fapplied F floorx 0
oppositecorner Fapplied ( L) 892( L / 2) 0 Fapplied 446 N
Fapplied F floorx 892 N 446 / 892 0.5
If you push at a 45 degree angle, you will produce the maximum torque.
length of diagonal L2 L2 L 2
oppositecorner Fapplied ( L 2) 892( L / 2) 0 Fapplied 315 N

Q7. A massless ladder of length L leans against a smooth wall making an angle with the horizontal floor. The
coefficient of friction between the ladder and the floor is s. A man of mass M climbs the ladder. What
height h can be reached before the ladder slips?
Ans. The angle between the weight and the ladder is 90-. Sin (90-)=cos. Let x be the horizontal distance
from the wall
sin h / L tan

h
tan ( L cos x) h h x tan L tan cos
L cos x

x L cos h / tan
Fy F floory Mg 0 F floory Mg

Fx F floorx Fwallx Mg Fwallx

upperend Mgx Mg ( L) cos MgL sin 0
Mg ( L cos h / tan ) MgL cos MgL sin 0
Mg ( L cos h / tan ) MgL MgL sin MgL sin 0
MgL cos Mgh / tan MgL cos MgL sin 0
Mgh / tan MgL sin 0
Mgh / tan MgL sin h / tan L sin h L sin tan

30
15 cm
Q8. The figure above shows a 20-cm-long uniform beam resting on a cylinder of 4 cm radius. The mass of the
beam is 5.0 kg, and that of the cylinder is 8.0 kg. The coefficient of friction between beam and cylinder is
zero. Assume that the beam touches the cylinder at a point 15 cm along the length of the beam. (a) Find
the forces that act on the beam and on the cylinder. (b) What must the minimum coefficients of static
friction be between beam and floor and between the cylinder and floor to prevent slipping?
Ans. The forces on the beam are its weight down, the force by the floor up (N1), the force left by the floor (Ff1),
the normal force by the cylinder (N2). The forces on the cylinder are its weight down, the force by the floor up
(N3), the force right by the floor (Ff2), and the normal force by the beam on the cylinder (N2). The normal force
(N2) acts at an angle of 30 degrees with respect to the vertical
a)

Beam
Fy N1 (5kg )(9.8) N 2 cos 30 0 N1 (5kg )(9.8) N 2 cos 30
Fx N 2sin 30 Ff 1 0 N 2sin 30 Ff 1
cylindercontact Ff 1sin 30(15) (5kg )(9.8)(5) cos 30 N1cos 30(15) 0
( N 2sin 30)sin 30(15) (5kg )(9.8)(5) cos 30 (49 N 2 cos 30) cos 30(15) 0
N 2sin 2 30(15) (5kg )(9.8)(5) cos 30 49 cos 30(15) N 2 cos 2 30(15) 0
N 2sin 2 30(15) N 2 cos 2 30(15) (5kg )(9.8)(5) cos 30 49 cos 30(15) 0
N 2(15) (49)(5) cos 30 49 cos 30(15) 0
N 2(15) (49)(5) cos 30 49 cos 30(15) 490 cos 30 N 2 28.3N
Ff 1 14.2 N ; N1 24.5 N
Cylinder
Fy N 3 (8kg )(9.8) N 2 cos 30 0 N 3 (8kg )(9.8) N 2 cos 30
Fx N 2sin 30 Ff 2 0 N 2sin 30 Ff 2 (28.3)(sin 30) 14.2 N
N 3 (8kg )(9.8) (28.3N ) cos 30 102.9 N

b)

Ff 1 14.2 N 1N1; N1 24.5 N 1 0.58

Ff 2 14.2 N 3N 3; N 3 102.9 N 3 0.14

Answers:
Q1: (a) Wx/Lsin (b) Wx/Ltan (c) W(1 x/L) (d) (Wx+2WL)/(sinL)
Q2: (a) 49 N (b) 73.6 Nm (c) 735 N, acting upward; 686 N, acting downward
Q3: m = 2 grams; M = 4 grams
Q4: (a) FT = 10,248 N, Fx = 5130 N, Fy = -4520 N
Q5: 0.375
Q6: (a) 446 N (b) 0.500 (c) Yes; push 45 upward; 315 N
Q7: sLsintan
Q8: (a) Forces that act on the beam: weight = 49.1 N; force of the cylinder on the beam,
Fc = 28.3 N; normal force of the ground, FNb = 24.5 N; and friction force, Ff-sb = 14.2 N. Forces that act on the cylinder: weight = 78.5 N; force of the beam on the cylinder
Fb = 28.3 N; normal force of the ground, FNc = 103 N; and friction force, Ff-sc = 14.2 N.
(b) s (beam-floor) = 0.58; s (cylinder-floor) = 0.14