Static Equilibrium Problems

(Answer)
{Use g = 9.8}
1. State the condition for translational equilibrium.
A. F = 0
B. F 0
C. = 0
D. 0
2. Two forces, 12 N west and 5.0 N north, act on an object. What is the
direction of a third force that would produce static equilibrium?
A. 23 south of
east B.23 north
of west C.
67
south of east D.
67 north of
west
3. A 110 kg object is supported by two ropes attached to the ceiling. What
is the tension T in the right-hand rope?
60
25

Right-hand rope

110
kg

A. 460
N
B.
540
N
C.
930
N
D. 1300
N

4. A mass suspended by a string is held 24 from vertical by a force of 13.8 N

as shown. Find the mass.

240

string

F = 13.8 N

A. 0.57
kg B.
1.5 kg
C. 3.2 kg
D. 3.5 kg

5. A mass of 5.0 kg is suspended from a cord as shown in the diagram below.

What horizontal force F
is necessary to hold the mass in the position shown?

350

cor
d
A. 28
N B.
34 N C.
40
N D.
70 N

6.

F
mass

A 220 N bag of potatoes is suspended from a rope as shown in the

diagram. A person pulls horizontally on the bag with a force of 80 N.

What is the tension in

the rope?
A. 1. 4 10
N B.
10

2. 2
N C.

2. 3 10 2 N

D.

3. 0

10 2 N

80 N

7. Two forces act on an object as shown. Find the magnitude of the third force
required to achieve translational equilibrium.
F

= 25
N

= 40
N

A.
15
N
B.
33 N C.
47 N D.
65 N
8. An 85.0 kg mountaineer remains in equilibrium while climbing a vertical
cliff. The tension force in the supporting rope is 745 N.

40
F

745 N

Find the magnitude of the reaction force, F , which the cliff exerts on the
mountaineer's feet.
A. 88. 0
N B.
373 N
C. 479 N
D. 546 N

9. An artist must push with a minimum force of 75 N at an angle of 45 to

a picture to hold it in equilibrium. The coefficient of friction between the wall
and the picture frame is 0. 30. What is the mass of the picture?

F = 75 N

A. 1. 6
kg B. 2.
3 kg C.
3. 8
kg
D. 7. 0
kg

45

10. What are the units of torque?

A. N m
B. N m
C. N
s D. N s
11. A body is in static equilibrium when
A.
B.
C.
D.

E.

F = 0 only
= 0
= 0 and F = 0
It has no momentum
It is not experiencing any forces

12. Torque is the rotational analogue of

A. kinetic energy
B. linear momentum
C. acceleration
D. force
E. mass
13. In which direction should a force act at point P to hold the boom in
equilibrium so that the force will be a minimum?
3

2
1

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

1
2
3
4
None of the above
F.
on

14. A uniform ladder leans against a

frictionless wall as shown.

Which of the following diagrams best shows the forces acting on the
ladder?
A.

B.

C.

D.

15. A uniform 15 kg pipe of length 5. 0 m has a 160 N force applied 4.

0 m from its lower end as shown.
FT = 160
N
42

34

Using the point where the pipe touches the ground as a pivot, calculate
the sum of the torques acting on the pipe.
A. 180 N m in a clockwise
direction. B. 270 N m in a
clockwise direction.
C. 120 N m in a counter-clockwise
direction. D. 270 N m in a counterclockwise direction.

16. Which of the four problems shown

requires the application of torque?
A.

B.

What is the tension in the

supporting cables?

What is the friction force acting on the

block?

C.

D.

What is the acceleration of

the puck?

What force does the wall exert on the

board?

17. A force F is applied to a uniform horizontal beam as shown in the diagram

below.

d
Which of the following is a correct expression for the torque on the beam
about pivot point P
due to this force?
A.
B.
C.
D.

l*sin
d*sin
L*cos
1/d*cos

18. A beam is to be kept horizontal by a cord. In which of the four situations

shown below will the tension in the cord be least?
A.

B.

C.

D.

19. A uniform 25 kg bar, 6.0 m long, is

suspended by a cord as shown.

wal
l

27
0

6.0
m

What is the tension in the cord?

A. 1.2 x 102
N B.
2.7 x
2
10 N C.
3.7 x 102
N D.
5.4 x
102 N

cord

20. The diagram shows the forces acting on a massless ladder resting on the
floor and a frictionless

FN

F
N

F
f

As a person walks up the stationary ladder, what happens to the magnitude

of the forces
1

A.
B.
C.
D.

MAGNITUDE OF F N

MAGNITUDE OF F N

Decreases

Decreases

Decreases

Increases

Increases

Decreases

Increases

Increases

Answers: 1.A 2.A 3.B 4.D 5.B 6.C 7.C 8.D 9. D 10.A 11.C
12.D 13.D 14.A 15.C 16.D 17.B 18.D 19.B 20.B

1. The horizontal uniform rod shown above has length 0.60 m and mass 2.0 kg. The left end of
the rod is attached to a vertical support by a frictionless hinge that allows the rod to swing
up or down. The right end of the rod is supported by a cord that makes an angle of 30
degrees with the rod. A spring scale of negligible mass measures the tension in the cord. A
0.50 kg block is also attached to the right end of the rod.
a. On the diagram below, draw and label vectors to represent all the forces acting on the
rod. Show each force
vector originating at its point of application.
b. Calculate the reading on the spring scale.
c. The rotational inertia of a rod about its center is

1
M L2 , where M is the mass of the
12

rod and L is its length.

Calculate the rotational inertia of the rod-block system about the hinge.
d. If the cord that supports the rod is cut near the end of the rod, calculate the initial
angular acceleration of the
rod-block system about the hinge.

2.
An adult exerts a horizontal force on a swing that is suspended by a rope of length
L, holding it at an angle with the vertical. The child in the swing has a weight W
and dimensions that are negligible compared to L. The weights of the rope and of
the seat are negligible. In terms of W and , determine
a.
the tension in the rope;
b.
the horizontal force exerted by the adult.
The adult releases the swing from rest. In terms of W and
determine
c.
the tension in the rope just after the release (the swing is
instantaneously at rest);
d.
the tension in the rope as the swing passes through its
lowest point.

3.
A 5 m long rigid rod whose own weight is negligible is pivoted at a point 2 m
from the left end. A mass of m1 = 25 kg is attached to the left end.

a. What must the mass be of a block attached to the right end so that the rod is
in equilibrium?
b. What is the force of the pivot on the rod?
4. A 40 kg ladder is 10 m long. It leans in equilibrium against a frictionless vertical
wall and makes an angle of 60 with the horizontal.

a. Draw a vector diagram of the forces acting on the ladder

b. Find the magnitude and direction of the force that the floor and wall exert
against the ladder.
c. Find the magnitude and direction of the force that the floor and wall exert
against the ladder if the wall now has a coefficient of static friction of .3.