When a object (e.g. block) is
placed on a surface (e.g. floor),
the support force from the floor
is equal to the weight, force on
block due to gravity
3 Forces
When an object (e.g. block)
is placed on a slope, 3
forces are present.
To resolve the three forces
parallel and perpendicular to the
slope:
Horizontal: F = W sin(θ)
Vertical: S = W cos(θ)
W = √F +√S
When a suspended
weight is being
supported by two strings
To Resolve T1, T2 using:
Horizontal
T1 x Sin(θ1) = T2 x Sin(θ2)
Vertical
T1 x Cos(θ1) + T2 x Cos(θ2) = W
The Principle Of Moments
(7.3)
Turning Effects
To calculate the moment of the force
Moment = Force x distance
Moment = Fd
The greater the distance
(d), The greater the
moment
The Principle Of Moments
=
Sum of the
clockwise
moments
Sum of the
anticlockwise
moments
W1 provides an anti-clockwise moment from the pivot
W2 provides a clockwise moment from the pivot
For equilibrium applying
the priciple of moments
W1 x d1 = W2 x d2
Centre of Mass
The centre of mass of a body
is the point through which a
single force on the body has no
turning effect
Centre of mass test
can be done by doing
the experiment in the
picture above
Calculating the weight
of a meter ruler
weight W1 provides the
anti-clockwise moment
The weight of the ruler W0 (unknown) provides
the clockwise moment (located at the C.O.M
of the uniform ruler)
All of this is calculated from the pivot
Therefore applying the
principle of moments
W1 x d1 = W0 x d0
More on Moments
(7.4)
Single Support Forces
When an object in equilibrium is supported at one
point only, the support force on the object is equal
and opposite to the total downwards force
E.g. with a uniform rule balanced on a support,
Support force S, Weight force W
S = W1 + W2 + W0
where W0 is the weight of the rule
This is taken from the support force and as the distance
equals 0 from the pivot, the force has a Zero moment
Fig 1
Two Support Forces
consider a uniform beam support on
two pillars X & Y at distance D apart
The weight of the beam is shared between two pillars
If the C.O.M of the beam is midway between the pillars, the weight of
the beam is shared equally between the two pillars
If the centre of mass of the beam is at dx distance from pillar X and
distance dy from pillar Y, then taking moments about X,
In addition
If the centre of mass of the beam is at dy distance from pillar Y and
distance dx from pillar X, then taking moments about X,
Fig 2
Couples
A couple is a pair of equal and opposite forces
acting on a body, but not along the same line
The moment of a couple is sometimes referred as torque
The moment/torque of a couple = Force x Perpendicular distance (moment = Fd)
As seen below the total moment is
Fx + F(d-x) = Fx +Fd - Fx = Fd
Stability (7.5)
Stable & Unstable
Equilibrium
Stable
If a body in stable equilibrium is
displaced then released, it resturns
to its equilibrium position
This is because the
C.O.M is directly below
the point of suppoert
Figure 1
Unstable
If a body in unstable equilibrium is
displaced then released, it does not resturn
to its equilibrium position
This is because the C.O.M is not directly
below the point of suppoert but above so
when diplaced the the C.O.M is not above
the support point therefore acting against
the equilibrium forces
Figure 2
Tilting and Toppling
Tilting
This is when an object at rest is
acted by a force raising it up a side
Figure 3
The entire support from the
floor acts at pount P
The clockwise moment of F about P = Fd
where d is the perpendicular distance from the line of action
The anti-clockwise moment of W about P = Wb/2
where b is the width of the base
Therefor, for tilting to occur Fd > Wb/2
toppling
A tilted object will topple over if it is tilted too far. This
happens if the line of action passes closer to the pivot
On a Slope
A tall object will topple over if the slope is too great
This will happen if the line of action of the weight
passing through the centre of mass lies outside the
wheelbase of the vehicle (as seen in figure 5)
Fig 5
as the line of action is inside the
wheelbase, the vehicle will not
topple over
For equilibrium, resolving forces parallel and perpendicular on the slop gives
Parallel
F = Wsin(θ)
Perpendicular
Sx + Sy = Wcos(θ)
Note that Sx is greater tha Sy
because X is lower than Y
consider the forces acting on the vehicle on a slope
at rest. the sideways friction F, support weights S,
and gravity of vehicle act as shown in figure 5.