Chapter 4 Static Equilibrium

4.1 The Important Stuff

In this chapter we study a special case of the dynamics of rigid objects. It is
the (very important!) special case where the center of mass of the object has no
motion and the object is not rotating.

4.1.1 Conditions for Equilibrium of a Rigid Object

For a rigid object which is not moving at all we have the following conditions:
• The (vector) sum of the external forces on the rigid object must equal zero:
=0

When this condition is satisfied, we say that the object is in translational

equilibrium. (It really only tells us that aCM is zero, but of course that includes
the case where the object is motionless.)
• The sum of the external torques or moment on the rigid object must
equal zero.
= 0 or M=0 (4.1)
When this condition is satisfied we say that the object is in rotational
equilibrium. (It really only tells us that about the given axis is zero, but again
that includes the case where the object is motionless.)
When both 4.1 and 4.2 are satisfied we say that the object is in static
equilibrium. Nearly all of the problems we will solve in this chapter are two–
dimensional problems (in the xy plane), and for these, Eqs. 4.1 and 4.2 reduce
to
=0 and M=0

Hence a two force member as shown in figure 3(a) will be in equilibrium if

(i) both forces are equal and opposite and (b) their line of action coincide. If the
forces are equal and opposite but not collinear as shown in Figure 3(b) they will
form a couple and body will start to rotate. Hence these two forces should be
equal, opposite and collinear.

Similarly a three force member will be in equilibrium if the vector sum of

all these forces equal to zero and to satisfy the vector sum of all the moments
about any arbitrary point equal to zero, their line of action should meet at a
point.

For Three force equilibrium, Lami’s theorem (sine rule of tringle) can using
to find the unknown forces if at least one force is known both in magnitude and
direction and the line of action of one more force is known. According to this
theorem

4.1.2 Two Important Facts for Working Statics Problems

i) The force of gravity acts on all massive objects in our statics problems; its
acts on all the individual mass points of the object. One can show that for the
purposes of computing the forces and torques on rigid objects in statics
problems we can treat the mass of the entire object as being concentrated at
its center of mass; that is, for an object of mass M we can treat gravity as exerting
a force Mg downward at the center of mass.
(This result depends on the fact that the acceleration of gravity, g is usually
constant over the volume of the object. Otherwise it is not true.)
ii) While there is only one way to write the conditions for the forces on a
rigid object summing to zero, we have a choice in the way we write the equation
for the total torque (total moment) does not specify the choice of the axis for
calculating the torque. In general it matters a great deal which axis we pick! But
when the sum of torques about any one axis is zero and the sum of forces is
zero (translational equilibrium) than the sum of torques about any axis will give
zero; so for statics problems we are free to pick the most convenient axis for
Computing. Often this will be the point on the object where several
unknown forces are acting, so that the resulting set of equations will be simpler
to solve.
4.1.3 Examples of Rigid Objects in Static Equilibrium
Strategy for solving problems in static equilibrium:
• Determine all the forces that are acting on the rigid body. They will come
from the other objects with which the body is in contact (supports, walls, floors,
weights resting on them) as well as gravity,
• Draw a diagram and put in all the information you have about these forces:
The points on the body at which they act, their magnitudes (if known), their
directions (if known).
• Write down the equations for static equilibrium. For the torque equation
you will have a choice of where to put the axis; in making your choice think of
which point would make the resulting equations the simplest.
• Solve the equations (That’s not physics that’s math.) If the problem is
well–posed you will not have too many or too few equations to find all the
unknowns.

4.2 Worked Examples

1. The system in Figure is in equilibrium with the string in the center exactly
horizontal. Find (a) tension T1, (b) tension T2, (c) tension T3 and (d) angle

30o T3
T1

T2

40 N 50 N
2. The system in Figure is in equilibrium. A mass of 225 kg hangs from the end of
the uniform strut whose mass is 45.0 kg. Find (a) the tension T in the cable and
the (b) horizontal and (c) vertical force components exerted on the strut by the
hinge.

3. Balancing a seesaw. A board of mass M = 2.0 kg serves as a seesaw for two

children. Child A has a mass of 30 kg and sits 2.5 m from the pivot point, P (his
center of gravity is 2.5 m from the pivot). At what distance x from the pivot must
child B, of mass 25 kg, place herself to balance the seesaw? Assume the board is
uniform and centered over the pivot.
 4. A shop sign weighing 245 N is supported by a uniform
155-N. Find the tension in the guy wire and the horizontal
and vertical forces exerted by the hinge on the beam

5. (I) Calculate the torque about the front support post (B) of a diving board exerted
by a 58-kg person 3.0 m from that post.

6. From figure in 5, calculate the forces FA and FB that the supports exert on the
diving board when a 58-kg person stands at its tip. (a) Ignore the weight of the
board. (b) Take into account the board’s mass of 35 kg. Assume the board’s CG is
at its center.
7. Calculate the mass m needed in order to suspend the leg shown in figure.
Assume the leg (with cast) has a mass of 15.0 kg, and its CG is 35.0 cm from the
hip joint: the sling is 80.5 cm from the hip joint.

8. Calculate FA and FB from figure. The downward forces represent the weights of
machinery on the beam. Assume the beam is uniform and has a mass of 250 kg.

9. A 75-kg adult sits at one end of a 9.0 -m-long board. His 25-kg child sits on the
other end.

(a) Where should the pivot be placed so that the board is balanced. Ignoring the
board’s mass?

(b) Find the pivot point if the board is uniform and has a mass of 15 kg.
10. Three children are trying to balance on a seesaw, which consists of a fulcrum
rock. Acting as a pivot at the center. and a very light board 3.6 m long. Two
playmates are already on either end. Boy A has a mass of 50 kg, and girl B a mass
of 35 kg. Where should girl C, whose mass is 25 kg, place herself so as to balance
the seesaw?

11. A 172-cm-tall person lies on a light (massless) board which is supported by two
scales, one under the top of her head and one beneath the bottom of her feet.
The two scales read, respectively, 35.1 and 31.6 kg. What distance is the center of
gravity of this person from the bottom of her feet?
12. A ladder having a uniform density and a mass m rests against a frictionless
vertical wall at an angle of 60o. The lower end rests on
a flat surface where the coefficient of static friction is µs
= 0.40. A student with a mass M = 2m attempts to climb
the ladder. What fraction of the length L of the ladder
will the student have reached when the ladder begins to
slip?

13. A garden cart loaded with firewood is being pushed horizontally when it
encounters a step 8.0 cm high, as shown in Fig. 14-41. The mass of the cart and its
load is 55 kg, and the cart is balanced so that its center of mass is directly over
the axle. The wheel diameter is 60 cm. What is the minimum horizontal force that
will get the cart up the step?
14. For the stepladder shown in Figure, sides AC and CE are each 8.0 m long and
hinged at C. Bar BD is a tie–rod 2.5 m long, halfway up. A man weighing 80 kg
climbs 6.0 m along the ladder. Assuming that the floor is frictionless and neglecting
the weight of the ladder, find (a) the tension in the tie–rod and the forces exerted
on the ladder by the floor at (b) A and (c) E. Hint: It will help to isolate parts of
the ladder in applying the equilibrium conditions.
15. A rock climber with mass A rock climber with mass m = 55 kg rests during
a “chimney climb”, pressing only with her shoulders and feet against the walls of
a fissure of width w = 1.0 m. h = 1.0 m. Her center of mass is a horizontal distance
d = 0.2 m from the wall against which her shoulders are pressed. The coefficient
of static friction between her shoes and the wall is wall is µs1 = 1.1, and between
her shoulders and the wall µs2 = 0.7. To rest, the climber wants to minimize her
horizontal push on the walls. The minimum occurs when walls. The minimum
occurs when her feet and her shoulders are on the verge of sliding.

(a) What is the minimum horizontal push What is the minimum horizontal push on
the walls?

(b) For that push, what must be the vertical distance h between her feet and her
shoulders if she is to be stable?
16. A strong and symmetrical round table weighs 250 N as shown in Figure 1 and
has dimensions as in Figure 2 when F is the pressure applied to the edge of the
table. Find the least amount of force that presses on the edge of the table and
causes the table to tumble. (PAT2 64)

1. 89 N

2. 139 N

3. 250 N

4. 313 N

5. 389 N
17. Find the magnitude of the tension in each supporting cable shown below. In
each case, the weight of the suspended body is 100.0 N and the masses of the
cables are negligible.
18. Find N1 and N2 if weight of wood sphere is 200 N.

19. Find force between contact of two sphere.