Experiment No.

5 Date:

CONCURRENT FORCES IN EQUILIBRIUM

Aim: To measure the weight -of a given body (a wooden block) using the
parallelogram law of vector addition.

Apparatus: Given body with hook, Parallelogram law of vector apparatus

(Gravesand's apparatus), strong thread, slotted weights (two sets),
White paper, thin mirror strip, sharp pencil.
Principle: The parallelogram law of vector addition:
When two forces act simultaneously at a point and are
represented in magnitude and direction by the two adjacent sides of a
parallelogram, then the resultant force can be represented both in
magnitude and direction by the diagonal of the parallelogram passing
through the point of application of the two forces.
Formula: The resultant of two forces P and Q is given by,
R=/P2 + Q2+ 2PQ cos 0
Where 0’ angle between the two forces P and ).
Procedure:

1) Gravesand's apparatus board is fixed in avertical position by using a plumb

line and a sheet of white paper is fixed on the wooden board with drawing
pins.
2) Sufficiently long piece of thread is taken and tie the two hangers at its ends.
Another shorter thread is tied in the middle of the first thre£d to make a knot
at '0. The body of unknown weight is ticd at the other end of the shorter
thread. They are aranged on the pulleys as shown in the figure. With slotted
weights on thehangers.
3) Weights are added to the hangers such that the junction '0' of the thread is in
equilibrium inthe lower half of the paper.

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Diagram:

1D

R P
Object

B
Miror Strip A

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 4) To take the direction of the force P, acting along a thread OP2 mirror strip is
placed below the thread on the paper. The position of the eye is adjusted such
that there is no parallax between the string and its image. The two points
A,and Azat the edges of the mirror where the image of the thread leaves the
mirror are marked.
5) Similarly, the directions of other two forces Q and R' are marked by points
B, and B, and by.points X, and X, along the threads OP, and OX respectively.
6) The sheet is removed and the lines are drawn through each pair of points to
meet at O. These three lines represents the directions of P, Q and R'.
7) A suitable scale is chosen and length OAand OB are cut off to represent the
forces P and Qrespectively acting at O. A parallelogram OACB is
completed. Taking OA and OB as adjacent sides.
8) The points O andCare joined. The length of 0C measures the weight of the
given body. If OC is not along OD then extend OD meets BC at a point C'.
The angle COC' is measured.
9) The experiment is repcated by suspending two different sets of weights. The
mean value of the unknown weight is calculated.

Result : Weight of the given body is found to be Kg wt.

Precautions:

1. The pulleys should be frictionless.

2. The thread must coincide with its image in the mirror while
plotting.
3. Points should be marked only when weights are at rest.
4. While doing construction the line drawn should be very
fine.
 Observation:
Weight of each hanger ..kgwt.
Scale, S= lcm = kg wt.

Tabular Column:
Force P=wt of the Force )= wt of the Unknown
(hanger t slotted (hanger + slotted Length weight = Angle
Trial OC=L
weights) weights) LxS COC'
No. in cm
P OA
in kg wt
in kg wt 1n cm in kg wt in cm

Mean unknown weight = kg wt.

Calculation:

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