School Of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-115 Engineering Mechanics (Fall 2023)

C-2
Name: Muhammad Abdullah Zafar Ghauri CMS:405642
Section:ME-14(C) Group: 02

Experiment 3: Polygon Forces, Law of equilibrium using Concurrent Force

System

Objectives:

The purpose of this experiment is to successfully employ the Laws of Equilibrium

(∑F=0 and ∑τ=0) upon a system of concurrent forces, being activated by attaching masses to hangers
which compels them to stretch and hence balance about a point, so referred as Point of Currency (Such
a point where all the forces happen to meet each other). The analysis may also be carried about
different types of design software too (for our case we shall be using AutoCAD). We are meant to
calculate the % error which is resultant from different circumstances dominantly human errors and
sometimes inevitable instrumental errors.

Apparatus:

Schematic representation of the instrument used General schematic of experiment

1. White Paper (A4 size (most preferred))

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 2. Masses (preferably 50g and 100g)
3. Concurrent Force System Apparatus
4. Marking Tool (Pencil)
5. Measuring devices (Ruler and Protractor)
6. Graph Paper(s)
7. Weight hangers
8. Frictionless pulleys and inextensible string

Theory:

• Laws of Equilibrium:
A body is said to be in the state of equilibrium when the following
conditions are successfully satisfied.
1. First Law of Equilibrium
2. Second Law of Equilibrium
• First Law of Equilibrium:
According to the first law of equilibrium, the net sum of forces
(acting both along the vertical and horizontal coordinates) is equal to zero.
∑F=0 which proceeds to ∑Fx=∑Fy=0
• Second Law of Equilibrium:
According to the second law of equilibrium, net sum of torques
acting about a body (both clockwise and anticlockwise) are zero.
∑τ=0 which proceeds to ∑τanticlockwise=∑τclockwise=0
• Law of Polygon:
The Law of Polygon of Forces states that “if any number of coplanar
concurrent forces can be represented in magnitude and direction by the sides of a polygon
taken in order; then their resultant will be represented by the closing side of the polygon
taken in opposite order”.

Procedure:

1. First of all ensure that the apparatus is on the smooth surface.

2. Affix the sheet of A4 paper right in the center of board.
3. By and by, add weights a bout each hanger. However, it must be ensured that the weights are
equally added about each corner.

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 4. Continue the procedure until all the weights have been perfectly balanced and point of
concurrency is tentatively achieved.
5. Slowly remove the paper and start drawing the forces about the specific point of concurrency.
6. Using a protractor, measure the angles formed about each force which is acting and
simultaneously calculate the weight about each force (which is dominant due to the addition of
masses).
7. Once the forces have been achieved, the maybe drawn on the graph paper and also, if possible,
on a designing software like AutoCAD.
8. Calculate the percentage error which shall be resultant of manhandling the instrument .

Readings and Calculations:

Force Attached Weight Angle Horizontal Vertical

Mass about Point (Along Component Component
positive x-
(W=mg) axis) (θ) (Fx=Fcosθ) (Fy=Fsinθ)
F1 250g 2.452 N 38 ͦ 0.78 0.61
F2 250g 2.452 N 144 ͦ -0.80 0.58
F3 100g 0.981 N 214 ͦ -0.829 -0.55
F4 100g 0.981 N 270 ͦ 0 -1
F5 100g 0.981 N 327 ͦ 0.83 -0.54

∑Fx= (0.78+(-0.80) +(-0.829) +0+0.83 = (-0.02) N

∑Fy= (0.61+0.58+(-.055) +(-1) +(-0.54) = (0.9) N

|F|=√(∑Fx)2 + (∑Fy)2 = √(−0.02)2 + (0.9)2 = 0.90 N

|F| = 0.90 N
∑Fy 0.9
θ=𝑡𝑎𝑛−1(∑Fx) = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1(−0.02)

θ= 91.27 ͦ
When the following readings were employed to construct a graph on AutoCAD, following results were
obtained: -

|F|=0.9112N and θ= 86 ͦ

For the case of resultant force, we are obtaining an error of about 1.11% which makes us understand
that the error maybe a resultant of human error, improper calibration of instrumentation etc.

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Similarly, using the tabular data a graph was constructed which was constructed by considering 1
block of centimeter graph which was set to scale of bearing 1N force. However, once we proceeded
with the experiment, and a graph was successfully attained with a percentage error of about 11.11%
which is of significance to some extent.

Graph:

Concurrent Forces as obtained on board Graph from the previously obtained readings (of left)

Results and Discussion:

For the following experiment, five coplanar forces were employed to a

single region at static position, and the Law of Equilibrium for Forces was successfully employed,
which meant the resolution of forces into their respective rectangular components, which meant
calculating ∑Fx and ∑Fy. The Polygon rule was used upon the forces received as a result and basically
the four forces acted to represent the sides of polygon and the angle was resolved by head-to-tail rule.
Hence for our case, a variation in value for magnitude was observed which accounted to about 11.1%
was observed. Some dominant factors are behind the variation, which may comprise of human
negligence and improper instrumental calibration. And another reason for the magnitude of error can
be interpreted as the friction in and between pulleys and strings.

Conclusion:

In the end we can conclude that the Polygon Rule and First Law of Equilibrium was
successfully verified in this experiment. Errors due to friction are of course inevitable which lead to
major differences between the experimental and theoretical values.

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