Chapter 5 STATIC

5.1 EQUILIBRIUM
OBJECTIVE:
i) Define the equilibrium of particle and state the conditions for equilibrium.
What is equilibrium?

When all the forces which act upon an object are

balanced, then the object is said to be in a state of equilibrium.
Or a body is in equilibrium when the vector sum of all the forces acting on
it is zero.
Are the forces acting on this object equal to each other?
Not necessarily, consider the two objects pictured in the force diagram
shown below.
The two objects are at equilibrium because the forces which
act upon them are balanced; however, the individual forces
are not equal.

What do you understand by static equilibrium?

Static means stationary or at rest.
If an object is at rest and is in a state of equilibrium, then we
would say that it is at static equilibrium.
5.2 Free body diagram:
A diagram of a body (or a part of it) which shows all the
forces and couples applied on it, and which has all the forces
and couples labeled is called a free body diagram.
Follow these steps to draw a free-body diagram.
1. Select the body (or part of body) that you want to
anaylise, and draw it.
2. Identify all the forces and couples that are applied onto
the body and draw them on the body. Draw the forces
and couples at the points that they are applied to.
3. Label all the forces and couples with unique labels to be
used for solving the problem.
4. Add any relevant dimensions onto your picture.
Here are some examples of the free-body diagrams:
1. Balanced beams
This is the free-body diagram for a beam with two supports. The
diagram shows only the forces acting on the beam.

Normal contact force

N1

Normal contact force

N2

Weight, W

Normal contact force

N1

Contact
force of
object on
beam

Normal contact force

N2

Weight, W

2. Suspended objects
The free-body diagram for a bungee jumper at the bottom of a jump is
shown below:
tension
weight

3. Object resting against rough and smooth surfaces

Normal contact force

Normal contact force

weight

friction

A ladder leaning against a wall

5.3 Equilibrium of a particle

A particle at equilibrium is either:
At rest and staying at rest, or
In motion and continuing in motion with the same speed and direction . ( no
acceleration)
This can be verified by referring to Newtons first law of motion.
In other words, a system of forces acting on a particle is said to be in equilibrium if
their resultant force is a zero vector.
F = 0
Fx = 0
There are two methods for solving problems:
1) Closed polygon diagram,
2) Resolving forces into components
Closed polygon diagram:

and

Fy = 0

Example 1
The forces acting on an object is shown in the figure below:

If the force A of magnitude, 3.4 N and direction 161o, and the force B of magnitude, 9.2
N and direction 70 o are acting the object, the magnitude of the force C can be determine
by using a closed polygon.
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Draw arrows to show the magnitudes of the forces A and B.

Use a scale to draw the forces, for example: 1 cm :2N.
Add all the forces head-to-tail to obtain a vector called the resultant force
(the vector sum). The resultant force should be 0 N

The force C can be calculated as shown above.

Second method: resolving forces into components

When the forces in equilibrium are resolved into components in two fixed
directions, the algebraic sum of the components in each direction will also zero.

F
Fy

Magnitude: F Fx2 Fy2

Direction: tan

Fx

Fy
Fx

Fx = F cos

Example 1
Fy = F sin
A force of magnitude 5 N acts at an angle = 620 to the horizontal. Find the
magnitudes of the horizontal and vertical components of this force.

5 sin

5N

5 cos

Given = 620, the horizontal component = 5 cos 620 = 2.3 N

The vertical component = 5 sin 620 = 4.14 N.
Example 2
A particle is in equilibrium under the action of the forces shown. Find the magnitude of
the forces P and Q.

8N

For the x-components: Fx = 0

-8 cos600 + Q cos 300 = 0

Q
600

300

Q = 8 cos600
cos 300
= 4.6N

For the y-components: Fy = 0

Q sin 300 +8 sin600 P = 0
4.6 sin300 +8 sin600 = P
P = 9.23N.
Example 3
A particle is in equilibrium under the action of forces T and P as shown in figure
6.4, find the magnitudes of T and P.

T
Tsin 600

600
P

T cos 600
P

2kg
mg
Figure 6.4

X-components: Fx = 0
P - T cos 600 = 0
P = T cos 600
Y-components: Fy= 0
Tsin 600 - mg = 0
T = mg
= 2(10)
Sin 6 00
sin 600
Substitute T into (1): P =23.1 cos 600
= 11.5N

(1)

= 23.1N

Resolving a contact force into normal and frictional components

Think of a particle at rest on a horizontal table. If the table is removed, the particle will
fall to the ground. Therefore there must be an upward force supplied by the table, which
balanced the weight of the particle. This force is called normal reaction or normal contact
force and usually denoted by R.
If you try to push the particle on the table and it is not moving, it is because an additional
frictional force, F balanced the pushing force.
Normal reaction R
Push P

Frictional force F
Weight W

However if the table has a perfectly smooth surface then F = 0 and there is only a
normal reaction. In this case the particle will move.

Example 4
If the system of forces is in equilibrium and the plane is smooth (no frictional force),
determine the weight of block, W2. Given W1 = 800N and = 300.
T
T
W1

Fx = 0;
T W1 sin = 0
T= 800 sin300 = 400N
W2 =T = 400N

W2

W2

W1sin

W1 cos

Fy= 0;
N = W1 cos 300 = 693N
W1

5.4 Equilibrium of a rigid bodies and its condition.

Two necessary conditions for equilibrium of a rigid body:
1. The resultant external force must be equal zero. F 0
2. The resultant external torque about any axis must be zero. 0
MOMENTS AND TORQUE
When more than one force acts on different parts of a body, there is the possible that

instead of producing motion in the direction of the resultant force, the body will be
rotated.
The torque or moment of a force is a measure of the turning affect of a force at a point. It
is equal to the magnitude of the force multiplied by the perpendicular distance of the
point from the line of action of the force.
Calculating torque:
Torque of a force = perpendicular distance
about a point
from the force to that point
(Nm)
(m)

force
(N)

Hence the dimensions of torque are [M]1 [L]2 [T]-2. Values of moment are given as +/values depending on whether they tend to produce clockwise or anticlockwise rotation.
Taking torque about O,
= r xF
r = d sin
= F dsin

r
d

= F d sin

Example1
Calculate the torque of the force 13N about at point A.
2m
A

13N

Torque at point A = 13 N x 2 m = 26 Nm. (clockwise direction).

Torque can be clockwise or anticlockwise. The diagram of a seesaw is given as below:

The weight of a child A on the left produces a moment /torque that raises and turns the
seesaw anti-clockwise.
The weight of a child B on the right produces a clockwise torque.
Example 2
A light rod AB is 4m long and can rotate in a vertical plane about a fixed point C where
AC = 1m. A vertical force F of magnitude N acts in a direction perpendicular to AB.

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Calculate the moment of F about C when F is applied : a) at B

the diagram.

( b ) at C as shown in

a)
A

1m

3m

Torque = 8 x CB = 24 Nm

1m

3m

Torque = 8 x 0 = 0Nm.

b)

Example 3
The seesaw in the diagram is balanced. Use the principle of moments to calculate the
weight, W.
1.5M

1M

1.5M

W
Taking moment
about the pivot:

pivot

300 N

550N

Sum of anti-clockwise torque = sum of clockwise torque

W x 1.5 m = ( 300N x 1.0m) + (550 N x 1.5 m)
W = 750 N.
COUPLES
To produce rotation there must be at least two forces, if these two forces only tend to produce
turning motion, then they are called force couple. For example when you open a door, the force
you apply to the handle and the reaction of the hinges are a force pair then tends to produce
rotation in the door. Because couples must only produce rotation and no translational motion,
their magnitudes are always equal and in the opposite direction .

A couple has no resultant force and it only produces a turning effect. For example: your
hands on a steering wheel can provide a couple to turn the wheel.
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Example3
Calculate the couple produced by the forces acting on the meter rule in the diagram:
12N

12N
Couple = F x d = 12 N x 1m = 12Nm

Why are door handles usually located on the opposite edge of the door to the hinges?
Try pushing a door near the hinge, and then the other edge, to feel the differences.
By pushing at a point further from the hinge you produce a much larger turning effect.
The following procedure is suggested for problems in which all the forces acting on the
body are in the same plane. Forces which act in the same plane are called coplanar forces.
1) Draw a sketch to show the physical situation
2) Draw a free- body diagram
3) Resolve the forces in each of two perpendicular directions and equate the resolved
parts to zero. F 0

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4) Take moments / torque about any convenient point and equate the algebraic sum
of the moments to zero. 0 .
Example 4
The diagram shows a rod of mass 30kg and length 3 m. It is smoothly hinged at A. The
rod is held in a horizontal position by a rope. The rope is attached to the rod at a point B,
that is 2 m from A. The angle between the rope and the rod is 60 0 .A load, of mass 100kg,
is suspended from the end of the rod at C.
Find the tension in the rope.

rope
600
A
C

2m

1m

C
100kg

Solution:

A
30g = 294N

100g = 980N

Perpendicular distance r = 2 sin 600

Taking torque about A:
T x 2 sin 600 = [294 x 1.5 ] + [980 x 3]
T
= 1952 N
We take torque about A, R x 0 =0.

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Example 5

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5.5 Frictional Force

Friction tries to prevent motion between two surfaces in contact.
The action of friction causes a body to be in an equilibrium state.
For example, think about how hard it is to walk over a surface such as ice where the
friction is reduced. With no friction between you and the ground you could not walk
forwards at all. (Frictional force stops your foot from slipping.)
Another example:
The motive force needed to drive a car forward is produced in a similar way. But doesn t
the engine drive a car forward? No, not directly. The engine power turns the car s wheel.
Without friction the wheel would just spin on the spot.
As the wheel turns, friction is created at the point of contact between the wheel and the
road. At this point the wheel is moving backwards. To prevent this motion the friction
force must act in the opposite direction. So the friction provides the forwards force that
drives the car).
F= R
Where is a constant, which depends only on the roughness of the surface, is known as
the coefficient of friction. R is normal reaction.

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Example 6 :

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The normal reaction from the ground produces an upward a force of 980N to balance the
total (downward) weight (800 N + 180 N).
The torques at point B:

= 1 (4.00m) (180N)(1.5m) (800 N)(1.0m) + 2 (0) + fs(0) = 0

Solving for 1 , we get 1 = 268 N.

Substitute 1 into the Fx = 0 equation.
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We get: fs = 268N
b) The static friction force fs cannot exert s 2 , so the minimum coefficient of static
friction to prevent slipping is
( s )min = fs/ 2 = 268 N / 980 N = 0.27
c) The components of the contact force FB at the base are the static friction fs and normal
force 2 .
Thus
FB =

( fs)2 + ( 2 .)2

= 1020 N and = tan-1 2 / fs = 750

Example 7

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