Lab number and Title: Lab 103: translational static equilibrium—Force Table

Name: Mohammed Elnaggar Group Number:N/A

Student ID: 31508534
Date of Experiment: 9/9/2019 Date of Report Submission: 9/18/2019
Course& section number: physics 111A-027 Instructor’s Name: HuizXue
Partner’s names: Henry Chau, Moises Rivadeneyracuadros , and Daniel Jablonski

1- Introduction
Newton made laws of motion which is about a particle that experiences zero net
force will remain either at rest or moving with constant speed in a straight line
depending on its initial condition. We know the physical quantities are generally
classified as being either scalar or vector quantities.Force is a vector quantity ,and it
has both magnitude and direction.So when handling the force and trying to get the
net force, the manipulation rules of the vectors have to be followed.
We need to know two methods for the addition of the vectors

1 graphical method—triangle(Head to tail)Method

Vectors are represented graphically by arrows. The length of a vector arrow (drawn to scale on the
graph paper ) is proportional to the magnitude of the vector,and the arrow points in the
directon of the vector.Shown in figure 1 are the additions of vector A and B

2. Analytical method—Component method

Any vector has its x and y directions and magnitude. The vector sum of any number of them
can be obtained by adding their x and y components of the vectors.The magnitude of the
resultant vector is then given R=(Rx2+Ry2)1/2 where RX=AX+BX and Ry=Ay+By ,and the
direction of the resultant vector θ=arctan(RY/RX) as shown in the the graph
Based on Newton’s laws of motion,if a body is acted upon only by concurrent forces, the
condition for static equilibrium is that the vector sum of the concurrent forces must be zero.
Then it follows that: when using the graphical method, one force vector has the same
magnitude as the sum of all the other force vectors and opposite direction to the sum of the
vectors.A body is acted upon by Forces F1,F2,F3 and the body is at static translational
equilibrium where F3 has the magnitude the same magnitude as F1 andF2 but opposite
direction; when using analytical method, the algebraic sum of the x-componets of all the
forces must be zero, for any given choice of x and y axes.
In this lab, we were practicing the addition of force vectors and to further confirm the
condition for static equilibrium. The theoretical result of graphical or analytical methods
will be compared with the experimental results obtained from the force table. The
experimental arrangement of forces (vectors) will physically illustrate the principles of the
methods of the vector addition.

Experiment procedures:
The list: force table(with a centering pin attached in the center) with 3 pulleys, 50 g Weight
hanger (x3), Ring attached with 3 knotted Strings, Standarad set of weight

Setup
The setup is as Figure 4.The outer rim of the force table is graduated in degrees.The
central ring attached with 3 Knotted strings is placed around the centering pin of the force
table.Weights are added on the hangers that are hung at the end knots of the strings that
run over the pulley at different locations around the force table.Each string will exert a
force on the ring that is proportional to the mass hung on it and in a direction along the
line of the string. The magnitude(which is the mass times acceleration due to gravity) of
a force(vector) is varied by adding or removing slotted weights, and the directions is
varied by moving the pulley.

Using the force table which is shown above, the resultant of two or more forces (vectors)
is found by balancing the forces with another forces (weight on the hanger ) sothat the
ring is freely floating and centered on the centering pin. The balancing force isnot the
resulting force,but rather the equilibrium force ,or the force of equal magnitude but in the
opposite direction to the resulting force,but rather the equilibrant force will balance the
other forces and hold the ring in equilibrium.
.then,we graphed the our body diagram , theoretically(that is graphically or analytically)
We determined the magnitude and direction of the equilibrant and experimentally verify
our theoretical prediction using the force table. Let the tensions of the three strings be
Ta,Tb and Tc,and the corresponding direction (angle) to be θa, θb, θc. we show or detaile
calculations and recorded or results in the data Table.
We solved three cases:
1st is a problem that has a given of Ta, θa, θb, θc , determine Tb and Tc
2nd we had been given Ta, θa, Tb, θb , determine θc and Tc
3rd that we had been given Ta, θa, Tb, Tc, determine θb and θc

Results:
Quantity quantity to be theoretical measured
Case GIVEN determined answer value diff
1 Ta=3N
θa=1200 Tb 3N 3.12N 4%
θb=1200
θc=1200 Tc 3N 3.12N 4%
2 Ta=2N
θb=1350 Tc 2.83N 2.85N 1%
Tb=2N
θa=900 θc 1350 1350 0%
3 Ta=0.5N
θa=900 θb 1580 158.38 0.40%
Tb=1.2N
Tc=1.3N θc 112 112.62 0.60%

Disscusion:
I used Ta as a vector with two sides(x,y),so we calculated our forces with cosine or sine in
x and y axes ,respectively. However, in the last problem you need to Pythagorean theorm
as 5,12,13 can make a right-angled triangle, the error presented is due to random error
due to lack of sensitivity of the instrument

.Therefore , our theoretical results are consistent with the experimental results An object
is in translational equilibrium when the sum of all the external forces acting on the object equals
zero. This also means an object is in translational equilibrium when it is experiencing zero
overall acceleration. Therefore, it is either not moving or moving at a constant velocity.

Conclusion:
We learned that the force can be a vector of two dimension, and these force collide with
each other to a net of external force equals zero.I would to suggest some changes in the
instrument : increase the accuracy by associating with a computer that can function with
more conditional statements.

Reference:

Newcomer, Jeffrey L., and Paul S. Steif. "Student thinking about static equilibrium: Insights
from written explanations to a concept question." Journal of Engineering Education 97.4
(2008): 481-490.