09/02/2025

Equilibrium, Example 1 Equilibrium, Example 2

• A lamp is suspended from a chain of • A traffic light weighing 100 N hangs from a vertical cable tied to two other cables that
negligible mass are fastened to a support. The upper cables make angles of 37° and 53° with the
horizontal. Find the tension in each of the three cables.
• The forces acting on the lamp are
• the downward force of gravity  Conceptualize the traffic light
• the upward tension in the chain  Assume cables don’t break

 Nothing is moving
• Applying equilibrium gives
 Categorize as an equilibrium
problem
𝐹 =0  No movement, so acceleration
𝑇=𝐹 is zero
𝑇−𝐹 =0  Model as an object in
equilibrium

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Equilibrium, Example 2 Equilibrium, Example 2

• Need 2 free-body diagrams
• Apply equilibrium equation to light

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 09/02/2025

Equilibrium, Example 2 A 10 kg box is pulled with 170 N of force at an angle of 30° above the
horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the floor and the box is
0.25.
• Apply equilibrium equations to knot a)What is the normal force on the box?
b)What is the force of friction on the box?
𝐹 =𝑇 +𝑇 = −𝑇 cos 3 7∘ + 𝑇 cos 5 3∘ = 0 c)What is horizontal applied force on the box?
cos 3 7∘ d)What is the net force on the box?
𝑇 =𝑇 = 1.33𝑇
cos 5 3∘

𝐹 =𝑇 +𝑇 +𝑇 =0

𝐹 = 𝑇 sin 3 7∘ + 𝑇 sin 5 3∘ − 100𝑁 = 0

𝑇 = 60𝑁
𝑇 = 1.33𝑇 = 80𝑁
𝐹 = 𝑇 sin 3 7∘ + (1.33𝑇 ) sin 5 3∘ − 100𝑁 = 0

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A 10 kg box is pulled with 170 N of force at an angle of 30° above the A 10 kg box is pulled with 170 N of force at an angle of 30° above the
horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the floor and the box is horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the floor and the box is
0.25. 0.25.

N ∑ 𝑭y=0= N + Tsin30o– W
N = W - Tsin30o
N =(10)(10)-(120)sin30o
N = 100-60 = 40N
fk fk= k N = (0.25)40
T 30o = 10N
Tx=(120)cos30o
W Tx=104N
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 09/02/2025

Blocks A, B, and C are placed as in Fig. and connected by ropes of negligible mass. Both A
 What is the smallest value of the force F and B weigh 25.0 N each, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between each block and
such that the 2.0-kg block will not slide F the surface is 0.35. Block C descends with constant velocity.
(a) Draw separate free-body diagrams showing the forces acting on A and on B.
down the wall? The coefficient of static
(b) Find the tension in the rope connecting blocks A and B.
friction between the block and the wall is (c) What is the weight of block C?
0.2. ? (d) If the rope connecting A and B were cut, what would be the acceleration of C?
∑ 𝑭y=0= fs – W TBC
NB
fs = W = (2)(10)=20N TCB
NA
f
∑ 𝑭x=0= F – N TBA
N fkA TAB
F
F=N wB wC
fs = s N fkB
mg N = fs /s = 20/0.2 = 100N wA

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Blocks A, B, and C are placed as in Fig. and connected by ropes of negligible mass. Both A Blocks A, B, and C are placed as in Fig. and connected by ropes of negligible mass. Both A
and B weigh 25.0 N each, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between each block and and B weigh 25.0 N each, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between each block and
the surface is 0.35. Block C descends with constant velocity. the surface is 0.35. Block C descends with constant velocity.
(a) Draw separate free-body diagrams showing the forces acting on A and on B. (a) Draw separate free-body diagrams showing the forces acting on A and on B.
(b) Find the tension in the rope connecting blocks A and B. (b) Find the tension in the rope connecting blocks A and B.
(c) What is the weight of block C? (c) What is the weight of block C?
(d) If the rope connecting A and B were cut, what would be the acceleration of C? (d) If the rope connecting A and B were cut, what would be the acceleration of C?
NB TBC
NA NB TBC
NA TBA
fkA TAB TBA
fkA TAB
wB
wA fkB 36.9
wA fkB wB

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 09/02/2025

Blocks A, B, and C are placed as in Fig. and connected by ropes of negligible mass. Both A Blocks A, B, and C are placed as in Fig. and connected by ropes of negligible mass. Both A
and B weigh 25.0 N each, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between each block and and B weigh 25.0 N each, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between each block and
the surface is 0.35. Block C descends with constant velocity. the surface is 0.35. Block C descends with constant velocity.
(a) Draw separate free-body diagrams showing the forces acting on A and on B. (a) Draw separate free-body diagrams showing the forces acting on A and on B.
(b) Find the tension in the rope connecting blocks A and B. (b) Find the tension in the rope connecting blocks A and B.
(c) What is the weight of block C? (c) What is the weight of block C?
(d) If the rope connecting A and B were cut, what would be the acceleration of C? (d) If the rope connecting A and B were cut, what would be the acceleration of C?
Block C Block B Block A
TCB
TCB TCB
wC
wC
wC

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Both A and B weigh 25.0 N each, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between each block Both A and B weigh 25.0 N each, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between each block
and the surface is 0.35. Block C descends with constant velocity. and the surface is 0.35. Block C descends with constant velocity.
)
Block B Block A Block B Block A
𝑇 = 8.75 N

𝑓 =µ𝑘𝐵𝑁 =(0.35*20N)
𝐹 = 0 𝑁 −𝑤 = 0 𝑓 =7.0𝑁
36.9 36.9
𝑁 = 𝑤 =25 N ∑𝐹 = 𝑇 − 8.75 − 7 − 25 ∗ 𝑠𝑖𝑛36.9 = 0
𝐹 =0 𝐹 =0=𝑁 −𝑤 = 𝑁 − 𝑤 cos  𝐹 =0=𝑇 −𝑓
𝐹 =0
𝐹 = 0 = 𝑁 −𝑤 = 𝑁 − 𝑤 cos  𝑇 = 8.75 + 7 + 25 ∗ 𝑠𝑖𝑛36.9
𝑁 = 𝑤 cos cos 36.9 𝑇 = 30.76 𝑁
𝑇 =𝑤 𝑁 = 20𝑁 𝑇 = 𝑓 =µ𝑘𝐴𝑁 =(0.35*25N) 𝑇 =𝑤 𝑁 = 𝑤 cos cos 36.9
𝑁 = 20𝑁
∑𝐹 = 0 = 𝑇 −𝑇 −𝑓 − 𝑤 sin  𝑇 = 8.75 N 𝑇 = 𝑤 = 30.76 𝑁
∑𝐹 = 0 = 𝑇 − 𝑇 − 𝑓 − 𝑤 sin 

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 09/02/2025

((d) If the rope connecting A and B were cut, what would be the acceleration of C? ((d) If the rope connecting A and B were cut, what would be the acceleration of C?

𝑓 =7.0𝑁
Block C Block B Block A Block C Block B
∑ 𝐹 = 𝑚𝐵𝑎 = 𝑇 −𝑓 − 𝑤 sin 
TCB TCB
2.55𝑎 = 𝑇 − 7 − 25sin 

wC wC
a a 𝑇 − 7 − 25sin  2.55𝑎 (2)
36.9 36.9
(30.76 − 3.14𝑎) − 7 − 25sin  2.55𝑎
𝐹 = mca
(30.76) − 7 − 25sin  2.55𝑎 + 3.14𝑎
𝑇 − 𝑤 = −𝑚𝑐𝑎 =-(𝑤 /9.8)a 8.755.69𝑎
𝑇 − 30.76 = −3.14 𝑎 (1) 1.54 𝑚/𝑠2𝑎

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Elevator Problem
• A man weighs himself with a scale in an elevator. While the elevator is at rest, he measures a weight
of 800 N.
• What weight does the scale read if the elevator accelerates upward at 2.0 m/s2? a = 2.0 m/s2
• What weight does the scale read if the elevator accelerates downward at 2.0 m/s2? a = - 2.0 m/s2

 Upward: N
N

 Downward:
mg mg

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