1

Name of Student:

Class :

Division :

Roll No. :

Date :

EXPERIMENT NO. 1

VERIFICATION OF LAW OF POLYGON OF

FORCES.
 2

 DIAGRAM :

 OBSERVATION:
1. Weight of Pan P:
2. Weight of Pan Q:
3. Weight of Pan R:
4. Weight of Pan S:
5. Weight of Pan T:

 OBSERVATION TABLE:

%
Sr.no. P θ1 Q θ2 R θ5 S θ3 T θ4 RA RG
error
 3

 OBJECT: To verify the polygon law of forces.

 APPARATUS: Gravesand’s apparatus, paper sheet, weight box, thread, drawing pins,
mirror strip, pans, set squares, pencil etc.

 THEORY: “Polygon law of forces” states that if a number of forces acting on a particle are
represented in magnitude and direction by sides of a polygon taken in same order, then their
resultant is represented in magnitude and direction by the closing side of the polygon taken in
the opposite direction.

 PROCEDURE: Refer to Fig.

1. Set the board in a vertical plane and fix the paper sheet with drawing pins.
2. Pass a thread over two pulleys.
3. Take a second thread and tie the middle of this thread to the middle of first thread.
4. Pass the ends of the second thread over the other set of two pulleys.
5. Take a third thread and tie its one end to the point of first two threads.
6. Attach pans to the free ends of the threads as shown in Fig.
7. Place the weights in the pans in such a manner that the knot comes approximately in
the centre of the paper.
8. Take the mirror strip and place it under the threads turn by turn and mark the points by
keeping the eye, the thread and its image in the same line without disturbing the system.
9. Mark the lines of forces and write down the magnitude of forces.
10. . Remove the paper from the board and
produce the lines to meet at O.
11. Select a suitable scale draw the vector
diagram (Fig. 2.2) by moving in one
direction(i.e. clockwise or anticlockwise).
Draw ab parallel to AB and cut it equal to
force P ; draw bc parallel to BC and cut it
equal to Q ; draw cd parallel to CD and cut it
 4

 CALCULATIONS:
 5

equal to force R; draw de parallel to DE and cut it equal to force S. Vector ae will be the
resultant force T1 taken in opposite direction and should be equal to force T which proves
the law of polygon of forces. If ae is not equal to T then percentage error is found as
follows.

.
 PRECAUTIONS :
1. Pans/weights should not touch the board.
2. There should be only central knot on the thread which should be small.
3. While calculating the total force in each case the weight of the pan should be added to
the weights put into the pan.
4. Make sure all pans are at rest when the lines of action of forces are marked.
5. All the pulleys should be free from friction.

 CONCLUSION:
 6

 CALCULATIONS:

Teacher’s Sign
 7

Name of Student:

Class :

Division :

Roll No. :

Date :

EXPERIMENT NO. 2

JIB CRANE
 8

 DIAGRAM:

 OBSERVATIONS:
1. Initial reading in Jib member =
2. Length of Jib member =
3. Initial reading in Tie member =
4. Length of Tie member =
5. Length of Vertical post =

 OBSERVATIONS TABLE:

Sr. Final Force in Tie

Length (cm) Force in Jib member
no. Wt. Reading member
(Kg) % %
Lp Lj Lt Jib Tie Exp. Grp. Exp. Grp.
error error
 9

 OBJECT: To verify the forces in the members of a Jib Crane.

 APPARATUS: Jib crane apparatus, weights, metre rod etc.

 THEORY: The experiment on jib crane is based on the Lami’s Theorem which states that
“If three coplanar forces acting at a point be in equilibrium, then each force is proportional to
the sine of the angle between the other two.”
P Q R
= Sinβ = Sinγ
Sin∝
These calculated forces will be compared with the observed forces noted from the spring
balances attached with jib and tie.
The jib crane apparatus consists of an inclined wooden rod called the jib. At the bottom
of the jib end is fitted a compression balance which is pivoted and a hook is attached to the
other end from which a chain hangs to carry the weight. A vertical tubular rod is fixed at the
base and it carries hooks at different levels. One end of the tie rod is fitted to the jib and the
second is attached to one of the hooks of the tubular rod. A spring balance is attached in the
tie. The vertical tubular rod is fixed on a heavy base to avoid tilting and is supported for
rigidity as shown in Fig.

 PROCEDURE:
1. Note down, the zero error (initial reading) in the compression and tension spring
balances separately.
2. Attach the known weight, W with the chain as shown in Fig..
3. Note down the final readings of compression and tension spring balances.
4. From these two readings, find
the observed value by
subtracting the initial reading
from the final reading.
5. Measure the lengths of
vertical post, tie and jib.
6. From these dimension draw
the outline diagram LMN of jib
crane.
 10

 CALCULATIONS:
 11

7. Select a suitable scale and draw pq parallel to ML (direction of weight W) and cut equal
to W ; draw qr parallel to LN and pr parallel to MN meeting at r. Then vectors pr and qr
parallel to LN and pr parallel to MN meeting at r. Then vectors pr and qr represent forces in
tie (tension) and jib (compression) respectively.
Mathematically
In Δ LMN, measure α, β and γ. Using Lami’s theorem, we get
W C T
= Sinβ = Sinγ
Sin∝

Using Lami’s theorem the value of C and T can be calculated. The percentage error can be
calculated in the observed and calculated values of forces in jib and tie.

 PRECAUTIONS :
1. Measure the lengths accurately.
2. The weights should be suspended gently without any jerk.
3. The jib and the tie spring balances must be properly oiled for free movement.
4. Note down the initial and final readings of spring balance carefully.

 CONCLUSION :
 12

 CALCULATIONS:

Teacher’s Sign
 13

Name of Student:

Class :

Division :

Roll No. :

Date :

EXPERIMENT NO. 3

BELL CRANK LEVER

 14

 DIAGRAM:

 OBSERVATIONS:
1. Initial reading in Spring balance =
2. Span of beam =
3. Length of vertical arm =

 OBSERVATIONS TABLE:

Clockwise Clockwise
Sr. Weight Distance Final reading in
Moment Moment
No. (Kg) (cm) spring balance
(Kg.cm) (Kg.cm)
 15

 OBJECT: To verify the Principle of Moments using the Bell Crank Lever apparatus

 APPARATUS: Bell crank lever apparatus, weights, etc.

 THEORY: Principle of Moments states, ‘the algebraic sum of the moments of a system of
coplanar forces about any point in the plane is equal to the moment of the resultant force of
the system about the same point’. This principle would be verified for a bell crank lever
arrangement. A lever whose two arms form a right angle, or nearly a right angle and having
its fulcrum at the apex of the angle is referred to as a bell crank lever. These levers were
originally used to operate the bell from a long distance especially where change in direction
of bell wires was involved and hence the name. Now bell crank levers are used in machines
to convert the direction of reciprocation movement.
 PROCEDURE:

1. Arrange three hangers at arbitrary locations on the horizontal arm. Note the locations x1 ,
x2, and x3 of these hangers from the hinge. Adjust the tension in the spring connected to the
vertical arm such that the two pointers come in the same vertical line. In this position the
horizontal arm is truly horizontal. Note the tensile force in the spring as the initial tension Ti .
Also note the location Y of the spring from the hinge.
2. Hang the weights W1, W2 and W3 from the hangers. This will cause the arms to tilt and
the pointers to move away from each other. Now adjust the tension in the spring such that the
pointers once again come in the same vertical line. The horizontal arm is once again in its
horizontal position. Note the tensile force in the spring as the final tension Tf . The tensile
force T on the vertical arm is the difference Tf — Ti .
3. Since the external forces are being supported by the single hinge at the apex of the arms,
implies that the resultant of these external applied forces passes through the supporting hinge.
Therefore to verify the principle of moments we need to take moments (ΣM) of all the
external forces (which includes the weights of the hangers hanging from the horizontal arm
and the tension in the spring connected to the vertical arm) about the hinge and if the total
sum is zero, verifies the law of moments since the moment of the resultant is also zero at the
hinge. 4. Repeat the above steps by changing the weights and their location on the horizontal
arm for two more set of observations.
 16

 CALCUTIONS:
 17

FBD of Bell crank lever

Summation of moment of all forces about O,

ƩMo = Tx Y – W1 x X1 – W2 x X2 – W3 x X3

 PRECAUTIONS :
1. Reading of the spring balance for measurements should be taken accurately.
2. Distance x and y should be taken accurately.
3. Reading should be taken in horizontal position only
4. Weights should hang freely and accurately.

 CONCLUSION :
 18

 CALCUTIONS:

Teacher’s Sign
 19

Name of Student:

Class :

Division :

Roll No. :

Date :

EXPERIMENT NO. 4

SUPPORT REACTIONS OF BEAM

 20

 DIAGRAM:

 OBSERVATIONS:
1. Span of Beam =
2. Initial reading in spring balance of left support =
3. Initial reading in spring balance of right support =

 OBSERVATIONS TABLE:

Final reading
Distance of load
Sr. in spring Reaction at left Reaction at
Load in Kg from left support
No balance of support right support
(cm)
supports
W1 W2 W3 x1 x2 x3 Left Right Exp Anl Exp Anl
 21

 OBJECT: To verify the reactions at the support of a simply supported beam.

 APPARATUS: A graduated wooden beam, two compression spring balances, weights,

sliding hooks etc.
 THEORY. This experiment is based on ‘principle of moments’ which states that if a body is
in equilibrium under the action of a number of coplanar forces then the algebraic sum of all
the forces and their moments about any point in their plane are zero.
Mathematically. The body will be in equilibrium, if
ΣH = 0 i.e., the algebraic sum of horizontal forces is zero.
ΣV = 0 i.e., the algebraic sum of vertical forces is zero.
ΣM = 0 i.e., the algebraic sum of moments about a point is zero.

 PROCEDURE:
1. Place the graduated beam on the compression spring balances.
2. Take the initial reading of the spring balances at both the ends A and B.
3. Now suspend weight at different points on the beam.
4. Note down the final reading of the spring balances. The difference between the final and
initial readings of the balances give the observed values of the reactions at the end A and B.
5. Measure the distance of each weight from one support.
6. Take the moments about the
support to calculate the reaction. The
reaction at the other
support may be found out by
subtracting first reaction from total
vertical load. If there is difference in
the observed and the calculated
reactions then calculate the percentage
error.
7. Repeat the experiments by
changing the loads at different
positions.
 22

 CALCUTIONS:
 23

 PRECAUTIONS :
1. Measure the distances accurately.
2. The weights should be suspended gently from hooks.
3. The initial and final readings of the spring balances should be noted carefully.
4. Before noting down the final readings, the beam should be slightly pressed downwards,
so as to avoid any friction at the support.

 CONCLUSION:
 24

 CALCUTIONS:

Teacher’s Sign