Chapter No.

4
Written By: G.M.Malik

Questions & Answers

PARALLEL FORCES:
In a plane, if a number of forces act on a body such that
their points of action are different
but their lines of action are parallel to each other,
then these forces are called parallel forces.
Like Parallel Forces:
Parallel forces acting in the same direction are
called like parallel forces. In the figure F1
and F2 are like parallel forces.
Unlike Parallel Forces:
Parallel forces which act in the opposite directions
are called unlike parallel forces. In the figure, F1 and R
are unlike parallel forces. F2 and R are also unlike parallel forces

Rigid Body: If, under the action of a force, the distance between any two points of a body
remains the same then such a body is called rigid body.

1. Q.No.2: Explain addition of forces(vectors) by Head to tail Rule.

2. Answer: Addition of Furces:
The sum of two or more forces (vectors) is a single force that has the same
effect as the combined effect of all the forces to be added. That single force is
called resultant force.
Generally forces are added by graphical method called head to tail rule.
Head to Tail Rule
The forces(vectors) are added graphically by head to tail rule which is
described below
i. Select a suitable scale.
ii. Add the vectors in such a way that the tail of the second vector coincides
with the head of the first vector, tail of the third vector coincides with the
head of the second vector and so on.
iii. At the end, a vector drawn from tail of the first vector to the head of the
last vector gives the resultant force.
Q.No.1. Define torque or moment of force. How can you find its direction? What are the factors
on which torque depends?
Answer: TORQUE: The turning effect of a force is called its torque. It is a vector quantity. Its unit
is Nm. It is denoted by ‘τ’.If F is the force and L is the moment arm then torque is given as

Direction of torque by Right Hand Rule:

According to right hand rule, if rotation is along the curl
of the fingers of the right hand then the thumb points in
the direction of the torque.
Dependence of Torque:
Torque depends upon the following two factors,
(i) Magnitude of the force
(ii) Moment arm i.e. the perpendicular distance
between the lines of action of the force
and the pivot around which the body rotates.

Q.No. 3: (a) Define rectangular components of a force.

(b) Explain resolution of forces:

Answer: a. Rectangular components of a force:

Components of a force which are at right angle to each other are called rectangular
Components.
Resolution of Forces( vectors).
Splitting up a force into two mutually perpendicular components is called
resolution of force.
Explanation: consider a force F represented by
line OA, making an angle θ with x-axis as shown
in figure. We draw perpendicular from point‘A’
on x-axis. Now from figure,
F = Fx + Fy
Here Fx is called horizontal component along x-axis
and Fy is called vertical component along y-axis and
are given as,
Fx = F cosθ
 Fy = F sinθ
Q.No. 4: Explain the determination of a force (vector) from perpendicular
components.
ANSWER: determination of a force(vector) from its perpendicular components:
Consider Fx and Fy are the given perpendicular
components of a force F. These components are
represented by the lines OP and PR respectively
as shown in the figure.
According to head to tail rule;
OR = OP + PR
Thus OR represent the force F whose x and y-
components are Fx and Fy respectively.That is
F = Fx + F y
The magnitude of force F is given as,

And the angle θ which the force F make with x-axis is given as

or
Q.No. 5: Explain principal of moments.
Answer:If a torque rotates a body in clockwise direction, then it is called clockwise moment. If the
torque rotates the body in anticlockwise direction, then it is called anticlockwise moment.
In general, clockwise moments are taken as negative and anticlockwise moments are taken
as positive.

Principle Of Moments:
When the body is in equilibrium, then sum of clockwise moments is equal to sum of
anticlockwise moments. This is called principle of moments. So, according to this principle,

Sum of all clockwise moments = Sum of all anticlockwise moments

Q.No.5. Find the value of force F in the given figure if the rod lying on the pivot is in
equilibrium

Q.No.6: What is meant by center of gravity of a body? How will you find the
centre of gravity of an irregular shaped body?
Answer: The centre of gravity is that point in a body
at which whole weight of the body appears to act
and if the body is supported at this point then it stands still without rotation. Centre of gravity
depends upon shape of the body
and can exist inside the body or outside the
body.
 Centre of Gravity of an Irregular Shaped Body:
Centre of gravity of an irregular shaped body can be
determined by the following simple experiment.
EXPERIMENT:
Drill few small holes near the edges of an irregular
shaped body. Now hang it through the hole at ‘A’ on
a nail in the wall. Also suspend a plumb line on the
nail. Draw a line AB on the body with the help of a
plumb line. Now hang the body through the hole at
point ‘C’on the nail and draw the line CD.
The point ‘G’at which these two lines AB and CD
intersect each other is the centre of gravity of the body.
If we hang the body at some other point E and draw a line EF then this line will also pass through the
point’G’.

Q.No. 7: Define couple and moment of a couple.

Answer: Two equal, opposite and parallel forces acting
at two different points of a body are said to
form a couple.
Moment OR Torque of a couple:
Torque produced in a body due to a couple is
equal
to the product of one of the forces forming a
couple
and perpendicular distance between the two
forces.
i.e.

Q.No.8: Define equilibrium. What are the conditions of

equilibrium? Discuss different states of
equilibrium.
Answer: Equilibrium: If a body, under the action of a
number of forces is at rest or moving with
uniform velocity then it is said to be in equilibrium. The net force on such a body is zero and its
acceleration is also zero.
 CONDITIONS OF EQUILIBRIUM
There are two conditions of equilibrium;
First Condition of Equilibrium:
For a body to be in equilibrium, the resultant
of all the forces acting on a body should be zero
i.e.
i.e. and
Here sigma ( ∑ ) is for summation (sum).

SECOND CONDITION OF EQUILIBRIUM:

For a body to be in equilibrium, the vector sum of all the torques acting on it about any arbitrary
axis should be equal to zero. i.e.

This is known as second condition of equilibrium.If the above two conditions

of equilibrium are satisfied then the body will
be completely in equilibrium.
Note: When first condition of equilibrium is
satisfied, no linear acceleration is produced in
the body. When second condition is satisfied,
then no rotational acceleration is produced in the
body.

STATES OF EQUILIBRIUM:
There are three states of equilibrium.
1. Stable equilibrium 2. Unstable equilibrium 3.
Neutral equilibrium

1. Stable Equilibrium:
That stable of equilibrium in which the body comes back to its original position after lifting
slightly from one side. On lifting, the centre of gravity of the body is raised
up as compared to the initial position.
Example: If a book lying on a table, is lifted from one edge and then allowed to fall, it will
come back to its initial position.

2. Unstable Equilibrium:
If a body does not come back to its original
position when it is slightly disturbed then
the body is said to be in unstable
equilibrium. In such a case, the centre of gravity is
lowered
than its original position.
Example: If the pencil standing vertically is slightly disturbed, it will not come back to its
original position. This type of equilibrium is called unstable equilibrium.
3. Neutral Equilibrium:
An object is in neutral equilibrium if its centre of gravity is not raised or lowered from its
original position when it is slightly disturbed.
Example: If a ball is rolled on the table, its centre of gravity is neither raised nor lowered but it
 is at the same height from the table as before.

Q.No.9. How do you know whether a body is in stable OR unstable state of equilibrium due to
the position of its centre of gravity?
Answer: If on lifting a body slightly, its centre of gravity is raised up as compared to its initial position,
the body will be in stable equilibrium. Here line of action of the weight passes through the base
of the body.
If on disturbing a body slightly, its centre of gravity is lowered than its initial position then the
body is said to be in unstable equilibrium. In such a case the line of action of the weight through
the centre of gravity lies outside the base of the body.

Good Luck:
From: G.M. Malik (M.Sc)