PHYSICS

CHAPTER 5

5.2 Polygon of forces

Case 1: A particle in equilibrium as a result of two forces acting on it as shown in Figure 5.3.

r F2

r F1

Figure 5.3

They are equal in magnitude but opposite in the direction, thus Case 2: A particle in equilibrium as a result of three forces acting on it as shown in Figure 5.4.

F = F

F2 = 0

i.e.

= 0 OR

=0

r F3

Figure 5.4

r F1
r F2

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F1
r F3

CHAPTER 5

They are form a closed triangle of forces, thus r

r F2 i.e.

r r r r F = F1 + F2 + F3 = 0

= 0 and

Fy = 0

r F3
r F2

Case 3: A particle in equilibrium as a result of r four forces acting on it as shown in F4 Figure 5.5.
Figure 5.5

r F1

They will form a closed polygon of forces, thus

r F1

r F4

r F3

i.e.

r r r r r F = F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 = 0

r 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 F2 14 13

= 0 and

=0
2

PHYSICS
Example 1 :

CHAPTER 5

A load of 250 kg is hung by a cranes cable. The load is pulled by a horizontal force such that the cable makes a 30 angle to the vertical plane. If the load is in the equilibrium, calculate a. the magnitude of the tension in the cable, b. the magnitude of the horizontal force. (Given g =9.81 m s2) Solution : m = 250 kg Free body diagram of the load :

r T Ty 30o
30o

r F

60

r F

Tx

r mg
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PHYSICS

CHAPTER 5

Solution : m = 250 kg 1st method : a. Force x-component (N)

y-component (N)

r mg r F r T

F
T cos 60o

mg = (250 )(9.81) = 2453 0 T sin 60o

Since the load is in the r equilibrium, then Thus

F =0

Fx = 0
y

F T cos 60 o = 0

(1)

=0

T sin 60 o 2453 = 0

T = 2833 N
b. By substituting eq. (2) into eq. (1), therefore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

(2)

F (2833 )cos 60 o = 0

F = 1417 N

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 5

Solution : m = 250 kg 2nd method : a. Since the load is in the equilibrium, then a closed triangle of forces can be sketched as shown below.

r mg

30

r T

From the closed triangle of forces, hence

r F
b.

mg = cos 30o T

(250 )(9.81) = cos 30 o

T

T = 2833 N

F = sin 30o T

F = sin 30o 2833

F = 1417 N
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Example 2 :

CHAPTER 5
F2 = 20 N
F1 = 12 N
o

30.0 45.0 o

55.0 o
A

F3 = 30 N
Figure 5.6

Calculate the magnitude and direction of a force that balance the three forces acted at point A as shown in Figure 5.6.

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Solution : Force

CHAPTER 5
F1 = 12 N; F2 = 20 N; F3 = 30 N
x-component (N) y-component (N)

r F1 r F2 r F3 r F

12 cos 55.0o = 6.88 20 cos 30.0o = 17.3 30 cos 45.0o = 21.2 Fx

12 sin 55.0o = 9.83 20 sin 30.0o = 10.0 30 sin 45.0o = 21.2 Fy

To find a force to balance the three forces means the system must be in equilibrium hence

=0

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6.88 17.3 21.2 + Fx = 0 Fx = 31.6 N

PHYSICS
Solution :

CHAPTER 5
=0 9.83 + 10.0 21.2 + Fy = 0 Fy = 1.37 N
y

The magnitude of the force,

F=
and its direction,

(Fx )2 + (Fy )2
1

(31.6)2 + (1.37 )2

F = 31.6 N
Fy = tan F x
1 1.37

= tan 31.6 = 2.48o from the +x-axis anticlockwise

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PHYSICS
Example 3 :

CHAPTER 5
r F

50.0o

Figure 5.7

A window washer pushes his scrub brush up a vertical window at constant speed by applying a force F as shown in Figure 5.7. The brush weighs 10.0 N and the coefficient of kinetic friction is k= 0.125. Calculate a. the magnitude of the force F , b. the normal force exerted by the window on the brush.
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PHYSICS
r F
50.0o

CHAPTER 5

Solution : W = 10.0 N; k = 0.125 a. The free body diagram of the brush : Force constant speed

r N

r W

r fk

r F r W r N r fk

x-component (N)

y-component (N)

F cos 50.0o

F sin 50.0o

0 N 0
r F = ma = 0

10.0 0 k N = 0.125 N

The brush moves up at r constant speed (a=0) so that

Thus

Fx = 0
y

N = F cos 50.0o

(1) (2)
10

=0

F sin 50.0 o 0.125 N = 10.0

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PHYSICS

CHAPTER 5

Solution : a. By substituting eq. (1) into eq. (2), thus

F sin 50.0o 0.125 F cos 50.0o = 10.0 F = 14.6 N

b. Therefore the normal force exerted by the window on the brush is given by

N = F cos 50.0o N = (14.6)cos 50.0o N = 9.39 N

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11

PHYSICS
Exercise 5.1 :
Use gravitational acceleration, 1.

CHAPTER 5
g = 9.81 m s2

Figure 5.8

The system in Figure 5.8 is in equilibrium, with the string at the centre exactly horizontal. Calculate a. the tensions T1, T2 and T3. b. the angle . ANS. : 49 N, 28 N, 57 N; 29 29
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Exercise 5.1 :
2.

CHAPTER 5

Figure 5.9

A 20 kg ball is supported from the ceiling by a rope A. Rope B pulls downward and to the side on the ball. If the angle of A to the vertical is 20 and if B makes an angle of 50 to the vertical as shown in Figure 5.9, Determine the tension in ropes A and B. ANS. : 134 N; 300 N
13

PHYSICS
Exercise 5.1 :
3.

CHAPTER 5

Figure 5.10

A block of mass 3.00 kg is pushed up against a wall by a force P that makes a 50.0 angle with the horizontal as show in Figure 5.10. The coefficient of static friction between the block and the wall is 0.250. Determine the possible values for the magnitude of P that allow the block to remain stationary. ANS. : 31.8 N; 48.6 N
14