THREE-DIMENSIONAL STATIC EQUILIBRIUM

PURPOSE The purpose of this laboratory is to study the conditions for stable equilibrium of concurrent forces in three dimensions. THEORY When an object is acted upon by a single force, F, a vector, it accelerates in the direction of that force and the magnitude of the acceleration is |F| / m, where m is the mass of the object. If several forces act upon an object at the same point (concurrent forces), then the direction of acceleration occurs parallel to the resultant force, FT. The acceleration is obtained by taking the vector sum of the individual forces, such that FT = i Fi = m a, and the magnitude of the acceleration of the object is thus |a| = |FT| / m. In the particular case where the sum of the forces, FT, is exactly zero and the object is at rest, we have a situation called static equilibrium. That is, there is no net force on the stationary object and, hence, it is not accelerated; thus the static object remains in equilibrium. We can distinguish between stable and unstable equilibrium by drawing an analogy with a ball (acted upon by gravity) located (a) at the bottom of a valley or (b) just at the top of a hill as shown in Figure 1. For the case of stable equilibrium (a), the ball will return to the equilibrium position (shown) upon any displacement from that position. For unstable equilibrium (b), any displacement of the ball from the top of the hill will result in acceleration away from the equilibrium position. In this lab we will deal with the condition of stable equilibrium only. First we consider equilibrium in two dimensions, for example, on a 2-dimensional force table. The forces are established from the tensions in strings tied to a knot at the center as we hang masses from the other ends of the strings that pass over pulleys with negligible friction. Three forces act radially from the center as shown in Figure 2. The angle between Fi and the x-axis is i. As a reference, F1 is taken to lie along the x-axis (i = 0). The configuration for string 1 is shown in Figure 3. Equilibrium is established if i Fix = 0 and i Fiy = 0 where the signs of the force components are taken implicitly. Using the angles shown in Figure 2, this is explicitly equivalent to: F1 = F2 cos 2 + F3 cos 3 F2 sin 2 = F3 sin 3. If F1 and F2 are set, the equilibriant is that force which will establish equilibrium. For example, we can solve for or experimentally establish values of the equilibriant. Thus, we can find |F3| and 3. Note that other positions of equilibrium could exist on the table; however, considering the setup of the force table, motion away from the center results in (1) angles which can no longer be measured with respect to axes passing through the center and (2) non-radial forces due to the orientation of the pulley axes tangent to the circumference of the force table.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL STATIC EQUILIBRIUM DiNardo, Venkataraman, Miller - 1999 I-1

and

Figure 1

stable equilibrium

unstable equilibrium

y
F

y
2

'
2
1

2 3
F
3

' 3

x Figure 2

F1 = | F |i 1

m g |= | F | | 1 1 Figure 3

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A three-dimensional force table is an interesting generalization of the two-dimensional case. Here, we balance horizontal forces at the center as in the two-dimensional case but we also hang a bob at the center. The gravitational force on the bob acting downwards deflects the strings from a horizontal plane. The vertical force also requires balancing. In addition, the strings pass over pulleys, which are set at unequal heights. A side view of Pulley 1 for this arrangement is given in Figure 4. Note that tan 1 = d/z.

The tension forces, Fi that are exerted on the respective strings by the hanging masses are separated into x, y, and z components. Referring to the top view in Figure 2 and to Figure 5: Fix = Fi cos i' sin i , Fiy = Fi sin i' sin i , Fiz = Fi cos i . Note that the i's are measured with respect to the x-axis whereas the i's are measured with respect to the z-axis. In order to achieve equilibrium, we must satisfy i Fix = i Fiy = i Fiz = 0. For three hanging masses i Fiz = F1z + F2z + F3z - Fbob= 0, where the Fiz's are directed upwards and Fbob, the weight of the bob, is directed down. Thus the z-components are balanced. F1 cos 1 + F2 cos 2 + F3 cos 3 = Fbob and (with 1 = 0)the horizontal force components (x-components and y-components) are balanced. F1 sin 1 = F2 cos 2 sin 2 + F3 cos 3 sin 3 and F2 sin 2 sin 2 = F3 sin 3 sin 3. By finding the equilibrium condition experimentally, we seek to establish that i Fi = 0 for three-dimensional equilibrium. The use of unequal length risers for the pulleys provides 1 2 3. We obtain satisfactory
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i's by choosing each mass to be of the order of the mass of the bob. Any motion of the bob laterally or vertically will change the angles and negate the equilibrium condition. Since this is a condition of stable equilibrium, the bob will return to the equilibrium position upon moving it away from that position. Figure 5

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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Initial setup 1. Level the force table carefully. A view of the force table is given in Figure 5 with the conventions for the angle and force variables shown. 2. Attach a piece of graph paper to the vertical metal stand to be used to measure 1, 1, and 3. Be sure that the axes of the graph paper are horizontal and vertical. (See Figure 5.) 3. Compose a spreadsheet template of the data tables. A - Variation of masses, i and i' fixed 1. Mount the shortest vertical pulley riser on the table at 1' = 0, the intermediate height vertical pulley riser on the table at 2' = 120, and the tallest vertical pulley riser on the table at 3' = 240. 2. Extend cords connected to the bob over the pulleys and attach a weight hanger to the free end of each cord. 3. Start with masses m1, m2, and m3 of about 250 g (including the mass of each respective hanger) on each cord end. 4. (There are four forces acting at the knot on which the bob is held. These forces add vectorially.) Adjust the three masses on the hangers so that equilibrium is established as determined by the bob hanging vertically over the centering pin. After changing masses, gently "bounce" the bob in the vertical direction to overcome any static frictional forces in the pulley bearings. 5. Once static equilibrium has been achieved, measure the polar angles 1, 2, and 3 using the vertical metal stand by placing the stand behind the respective cord and measuring the run (d) and the rise (z) and calculating = tan-1 (d / z) Record the calculated values of the i's on Table 1 along with the (preset) values of each i'. (See Figure 5.) 6. Measure the masses mbob, m1, m2, and m3 with the sidearm balance and record in Table 1. 7. Complete Table 1 to calculate i Fi .

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B - Variation of m3, 2' and 3' 1. Mount the shortest vertical pulley riser on the table at 1' = 0 and start with the intermediate height vertical pulley riser on the table at 2' = 100 and the tallest vertical pulley riser on the table at 3' = 220. 2. Extend cords connected to the bob over the pulleys and attach a weight hanger to the free end of each cord. 3. Start with masses m1, m2, and m3 of about 250 g (including mass of each respective hanger) on each cord end. 4. Adjust m3, 3', and 3' so that equilibrium is established as determined by the bob hanging vertically over the centering pin. The only mass to be adjusted is m3. After changing m3 and/or the angles, gently "bounce" the bob in the vertical direction to overcome any static frictional forces in the pulley bearings. 5. Once static equilibrium has been achieved, measure the polar angles 1, 2, and 3 using the vertical metal stand by placing the stand in front of the respective cords and measuring the run (d) and the rise (z) and calculating = tan-1 (d / z) Record the calculated values of the i's on Table 2 with the measured values of 2', and 3' (note that 1' = 0). 6. Measure the masses mbob, m1, m2, and m3 with the sidearm balance and record in Table 2. 7. Complete Table 2 to calculate i Fi.

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NAME _________________________ DATA TABLE 1 1' = ______ 2' = ______ 3' = ______ _______ m1 = ______kg m2 = ______kg m3 = ______kg mbob = ___________kg _______ F1x = |F1| sin 1 cos 1' = __________N F1y = |F1| sin 1 sin 1' = __________N F1z = |F1| cos 1 = _________N _______ F2x = |F2| sin 2 cos 2' = __________N F2y = |F2| sin 2 sin 2' = __________N F2z = |F2| cos 2 = _________N

Sec/Group _______ Date _______________

d = ______ z = ______ 1 = ______ d = ______ z = ______ 2 = ______ d = ______ z = ______ 3 = ______ |F1| = ______N |F2| = ______N |F3| = ______N Fz, bob = Wbob = __________N

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F3x = |F3| sin 3 cos 3' = __________N F3y = |F3| sin 3 sin 3' = __________N F3z = |F3| cos 3 = _________N _______ FTx = i Fix = __________N FTy = i Fiy = __________N FTz = i Fiz Fz, bob = __________N

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TABLE 2 1' = ______ 2' = ______ 3' = ______ _______ m1 = ______kg m2 = ______kg m3 = ______kg mbob = ___________kg _______ F1x = |F1| sin 1 cos 1' = __________N F1y = |F1| sin 1 sin 1' = __________N F1z = |F1| cos 1 = _________N _______ F2x = |F2| sin 2 cos 2' = __________N F2y = |F2| sin 2 sin 2' = __________N F2z = |F2| cos 2 = _________N |F1| = ______N |F2| = ______N |F3| = ______N Fz, bob = Wbob = __________N d = ______ z = ______ 1 = ______ d = ______ z = ______ 2 = ______ d = ______ z = ______ 3 = ______

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F3x = |F3| sin 3 cos 3' = __________N F3y = |F3| sin 3 sin 3' = __________N F3z = |F3| cos 3 = _________N _______ FTx = i Fix = __________N FTy = i Fiy = __________N FTz = i Fiz Fz, bob = __________N

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