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Mechanical System Isolation:: Free-Body Diagram

This document discusses free-body diagrams, which are diagrams that isolate a mechanical body or system and show all external forces acting on it. It provides examples of common types of forces (gravity, tension, friction, etc) and guidelines for constructing a free-body diagram, such as identifying all forces on the body and drawing them as vectors. It also includes sample free-body diagrams for various mechanical systems and bodies.

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Christian Delfin
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275 views33 pages

Mechanical System Isolation:: Free-Body Diagram

This document discusses free-body diagrams, which are diagrams that isolate a mechanical body or system and show all external forces acting on it. It provides examples of common types of forces (gravity, tension, friction, etc) and guidelines for constructing a free-body diagram, such as identifying all forces on the body and drawing them as vectors. It also includes sample free-body diagrams for various mechanical systems and bodies.

Uploaded by

Christian Delfin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mechanical System Isolation :

Free-Body Diagram

Mechanical System/Body is an object or


combination of objects (treated as single body) that
is subject to analysis.
Free Body Diagram

 The most important single step in the solution of problems in mechanics.

 A diagrammatic representation of the isolated body or combination of


bodies treated as single body, showing all forces applied to it by
mechanical contact with other bodies that are imagined to be removed.

 Isolation of a mechanical body and identification and labeling of ALL


FORCES acting on it.
Types of forces typically used:

Force Symbol Magnitude Direction


Gravity (weight) F(W) = mobject*g (9.8 m/s2) Downward
any (up to breaking perpendicular to
Normal (surface) F(N)
load) surface
any (up to breaking
Tension F(T) along string/rope/chain
load)
not slipping: between
Direction opposing
Friction F(Ff) zero and ms*F(N)
relative motion.
slipping: = mk*F(N)
Tension-- always projected away from the
Mechanical body

Normal Force - always towards the object


and perpendicular to the surface of contact.
Frictional Force - perpendicular to the normal force.
- always parallel to the surface of contact.
- always opposite in direction to the suppose
movement of the mechanical body
Normal Force

Normal Force
Normal Force
Always three (3) forces

Always vertically downward


Common Types of Forces Application on Mechanical
Systems for Analysis in Two Dimensions
Flexible cable, Belt,
Chain or Rope.

Force exerted by
a flexible rope is
always a tension
away from the
body in the
direction of the
rope.
Smooth Surface

The normal force is


perpendicular to the
surface and is a reaction to
the force(s) holding you
down. If you are standing
on an incline the normal
force would be the reaction
force keeping you from
sinking into the incline and
it would be perpendicular to
the incline's surface.
Rough Surface

 Friction acts parallel to the


surfaces that are in contact and in
the direction opposite to the
motion of the object or to any
force tending to produce such
motion.
 Friction depends on the
nature of the materials
in contact and the
smoothness of their surfaces
*Note: is equal to Ff.
 Friction is directly proportional
to the force pressing the
surfaces together. The
reaction force to pressing the
surface is the normal force.
Roller Support

Roller supports are free to rotate


and translate along the surface
upon which the roller rests. The
surface can be horizontal,
vertical, or sloped at any angle.
The resulting reaction force is
always a single force that is
perpendicular to, and away from,
the surface. Roller supports can
also take the form of rubber
bearings, rockers, or a set of
gears which are designed to
allow a limited amount of lateral
movement.
Freely Sliding Guide

The action of smooth


guide on the body
supports. Resistance
parallel to the guide is
absent.
Pin Connection

Pinned support can resist both vertical


and horizontal forces but not a moment.
They will allow the structural member to
rotate, but not to translate in any
direction. Many connections are
assumed to be pinned connections even
though they might resist a small amount
of moment in reality. It is also true that a
pinned connection could allow rotation in
only one direction; providing resistance
to rotation in any other direction. Another
support must be provided at some point
to prevent rotation of the structure. The
representation of a pinned support
includes both horizontal and vertical
forces.
Built-in or Fixed Support

Fixed supports can resist vertical


and horizontal forces as well as
a moment. Since they restrain
both rotation and translation,
they are also known as rigid
supports. This means that a
structure only needs one fixed
support in order to be stable. The
representation of fixed supports
always includes two forces
(horizontal and vertical) and a
moment.
Gravitational Attraction

Considering the
gravitational force, or
weight, in a free-body
diagram, the magnitude
of this force is calculated
by mass (m) times the
acceleration of gravity
(g), typically treated as a
constant of 9.81 m/s2 on
the Earth's surface.

W=mg
Spring Action

The spring force is the


force exerted by a
compressed or stretched
spring upon any object that
is attached to it. An object
that compresses or
stretches a spring is always
acted upon by a force that
restores the object to its
rest or equilibrium position.
Pulley Cable System

Pulleys are simple machines


that consist of a rope that
slides around a disk, called a
block. Their main function is
to change the direction of the
tension force in a rope. The
pulley systems always consist
of idealized, massless and
frictionless pulleys, and
idealized ropes that are
massless and that don’t
stretch.
Steps in Constructing Free-Body Diagram
Step 1

Identify the object


you will draw a
diagram for. (If
there are multiple
objects of interest,
you will need to
draw multiple
diagrams.)
Step 2

Identify all the forces


acting directly on the object
and the object exerting
them. With the exception of
gravity, magnetism, electric
forces, the two objects will be
in direct contact. Do not
include forces by an object
acting through another object-
-only include the force due to
the intermediate object.
Step 3

Draw a vector to represent


each force. Draw it in the
direction the force is being
exerted, and label it by (a)
the type of force, (b) the
object exerting the force,
and (c) the object receiving
the force (which will be you
object of interest).
Examples
Sample 1
A book is at rest on a table top. Diagram the forces acting on the book.

W=mg

Fn
Sample 2

A ladder, of negligible weight,


leaning against a rough wall
while being supported by the
ground.
Sample 3
A girl pulls her little brother uphill in a sled. Draw the forces acting
on the sled.

W
TGIRL

Ff
Fn
Sample 4
Given the illustration below, find the forces acting on objects 1 and 2.

T1

T2

Fn W1

W2
Sample 5
Find the forces acting on a cable car.

T1 T2

W
Sample 6
Find the forces acting on the system .

By

Bx
T2
Ax

Ay
T1

W
Sample 7

Find the forces acting on


the rod resting against a
smooth incline. The roller
is of considerable weight.
Free-Body Diagram Exercises 1

In each of the five following examples, the


body to be isolated is shown in the left-hand
diagram, and either a wrong or an incomplete
free-body diagram (FBD) is shown on the right.
Make whatever changes or additions in each
case to form a correct and complete free-body
diagram. The weights of the bodies are
negligible unless otherwise indicated.
Dimensions and numerical values are omitted
for simplicity.
Free-Body Diagram Exercises 2

In each of the five following examples, the


body to be isolated is shown in the left-hand
diagram, and an incomplete free-body
diagram (FBD) of the isolated body is shown on
the right. Add whatever forces are necessary in
each case to form a complete free-body
diagram. The weights of the bodies are
negligible unless otherwise indicated.
Dimensions and numerical values are omitted
for simplicity.

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