Equilibrium of Concurrent, Coplanar

Force Systems

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 Equilibrium
Newton’s First Law - If, and only if, an object’s
“mass center” has zero acceleration, then the sum
of ALL of the forces acting on the object (body) is
zero.
Where is a body’s mass center? We’ll study that in
Module 4. But in this class, the entire body is at
rest, so we know that the mass center, wherever it
is, has zero acceleration.

F = m * a

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 Problem Solving Strategy
1.Identify ALL forces acting on the body by making a
“free-body diagram” (FBD).
2.Invoke Newton’s First Law. (Add all the force vectors
on the FBD and set the result equal to zero.)
3.Solve.

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 Free-Body Diagram
1.Define the “body.”
2.“Free” the body from the rest of the world by cutting
through EVERYTHING that connects the body to
anything else.
3.Sketch the freed body.
4.To the sketch, add EVERY force that is (or may be)
acting on the body.

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 Concurrent, Coplanar Force
System
Coplanar system
The lines of action of all forces lie in a common
plane.
Concurrent system
The lines of action of all forces intersect at a common
point.

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 Independent Equations
In a given problem, we can find only as many
unknowns as we have independent equations.
For a system of coplanar, concurrent forces, Newton’s
First Law yields only two independent equations for a
given FBD.

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 Problem 3-4
Find magnitude and
direction of F.
1. Make FBD.
2. Newton’s
First Law
3. Solve.
1. Figure is already an
FBD.

2.
F 0

 
F cos ˆi  sin ˆj  4.5 kNˆi  

7.5 kN sin 30 ˆi  cos 30 ˆj 
 

2.25 kNcos60 ˆi  sin60 ˆj 0
 

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 Collect and equate components.
For the
ˆi
components:
F cos  4.5 kN  7.5 kN sin 30  2.25 kN cos60  0

 

(1)
 the ˆj components:
For
F
sin   7.5 kN cos 30 
 2.25 kN sin60 
0 (2)
Now,
 what?

COUNT EQUATIONS AND UNKNOWNS!!!!!!!

Two equations, (1) and (2), and two
unknowns, F and .


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From (1) and (2),
F cos  7.125 kN (3)
F sin   8.444 kN (4)
Now, what?
For the angle, divide (4)
by (3) to get
tan  1.185    49.8



For the magnitude,

F cos   F sin 
2 2
F F F 
x
2
y
2

F  11.0 kN
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 Ideal Cable
Neglect weight (massless).
Neglect bending stiffness.
Force parallel to cable.
Force only tensile.
Neglect stretching (inextensible).

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 Problem 3-8
Find the forces in cables
AB and AC.
1. Make FBD.
2. Newton’s
First Law
12 kg 3. Solve.

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 COUNT EQUATIONS AND UNKNOWNS!!!!!!!

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 Problem 3-40
Find the forces in all
five cables.

Since there are 5

unknowns, we’ll need
at least 3 FBD’s.

30kg

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 Linear Spring - I
Like an ideal cable, but extensible and resists either
stretching or shortening.
Force is either tensile or compressive.
When the force is zero, the spring is undeformed and
its length is called its free length or natural length.
When the force is not zero, it is proportional to the
spring’s deformation (stretch or contraction).

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 Linear Spring - II
The constant of proportionality between the force in
a spring and its deformation is called the spring’s
stiffness or its spring rate.
Stiffness is usually represented by the letter k.

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 Equation for Spring

Tension Compression

OR

F  k l  l0  F  k l0  l
 
 stretch  contraction
l0  natural/free/undeformed length
(length when F = 0)
 
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 Assumed Tension

F  k l  l0 
 Directions of loads are reversed on objects to
which springs are attached (Newton III).



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 Assumed Compression

F  k l0  l

 Direction assumed for spring load cannot be

wrong!
 Equation used 
for spring load can be wrong!

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 Problem 3-14
Spring AB is
stretched 3m. What
is the mass of the
suspended block?

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