EQUILIBRIUM OF A PARTICLE

Will use: methods for resolving a force in to components and expressing a force as a
Cartesian vector.

To: solve problems involving the equilibrium of a particle.

Will discuss:
 Particle equilibrium of a concurrent coplanar force system
 Particle equilibrium for a concurrent three dimensions force system.

3.1 conditions for the equilibrium of a particle:

A particle is in equilibrium if:
It is at rest and originally at rest has a constant velocity and originally in motion
The term static equilibrium is used to describe an object at rest
To maintain equilibrium an object must satisfy Newton’s fist law of motion:
Resultant of forces acting on a particle is Zero or
 
F  0
Necessary and will satisfy this condition

3.2 The free body diagram

Definition: A free body diagram is a sketch of a particle, which represents it as being

isolated “free” from its surroundings.
On this sketch, show all the forces acting on the particle.

Example 
Actual situation T


W
Equilibrium requires T=W
Springs:
 Linear elastic springs and used for support.
 The length of a spring changes in direct proportions to the force acting on it
The physical property that relates the displacement of a spring to the forces F acting on it
Is called the spring constant or stiffness (usually called K)

K=spring constant is a measured property

Un deformed

Elongated Compressed

S (-)
S (+)


F

F=ks

Cables and pulleys:

 Assumptions:
Cables have a negligible weight
Cables are inextensible (they cannot be stretched)
 A cable can only support a tension (or pulling )force acting in the direction of the
cable
 The tension force developed in a continuous cable which passes over a frictionless
pulley must have a constant magnitude



T 
T
(Constant tension)
Procedure for drawing free body diagram
To account for all forces, it is very important to draw a free body diagram before
applying the equation of equilibrium
use the following steps:
 Imagine the particle to be isolated and draw or sketch its outlined shape
 Indicate on the sketch all the forces that act on the particle.
There are 2 types of forces:
1. Active forces: tend to set the particle in motion .eg; Weight,magnetic
field interaction etc
2. Relative forces: Tend to prevent motion usually caused by restraint or
supports

 Label known forces with there magnitude and direction

1. Label unknown forces with letters
2. Assume the sense of unknown forces: if after solving a negative
magnitude is found then the force is acting in the opposite of the assumed
sense
Example3.2.1

C
450

WC

Free body diagram

Ring B:


FA


FC


FB

Cord B-D

FB


FD
 
FD


WC

3.3 Equilibrium of coplanar force system:

 
If forces lie in the X-Y plane then resolve them in to their respective i andj components:
 
F  0
Can be written as
 
 FX i   FY j  0
for these equation to be satisfied ,must have
 FX  0
F Y 0

Scalar notation:
 The X and Y components of a force can be represented as scalars.
 The directional sense of each component is accounted for by the algebraic sign of
the scalar
 Directional sense (arrow headed sense) of unknown forces on a free body diagram
can be assumed .If the solution yields a negative scalar ,it indicates that the actual
sense of the component is opposite to that which was assumed .
Procedure for analysis:
1. Draw a free body diagram. Draw all known and unknown forces . The
sense of a force having an unknown magnitude can be assumed
2. Establish the X and Y axes in any suitable direction
3. Apply the equation of equilibrium  FX  0,  FY  0
4. If more than two unknowns exist and the problem involves a spring then
apply F  ks to relate spring force to its displacement
 Example 3.31:
Determine the tension in cords AB and AD

D A
300

Solution:

Fc


Wc

F Y 0
Wc  Fc  0
Fc  Wc
 10 * 9.81  98.1N
Free body diagram of a ring A: Y


TD 
TB X
0
30

98.1 N


  FX  0
   FY  0
TB cos 30 0  TD  0
TB sin 30 0  98.1  0

Solving above yields

TB  98.1 / sin 30 0  196 N

From Equation 1
TB cos 30  TD  0  0
TD  TB cos 30  196 cos 30
TD  170 N
 Example: 3.3.2

G
D

E 300
3

4 450
C A

20lb
B

Required: Determine the weight of the cylinder at B and the force in each cord needed to
hold the system in the equilibrium position as shown

Solution:
Equilibrium of the ring at E:

TEo Y
0
30

450

X

TEC
20 lb


  FX  0
   FY  0
TEG sin 30 0  TEC cos 45 0  0
TEG cos 30 0  TEC sin 45 0  20  0
Thus
TEC  38.6lb
TEG  54.6lb
Equilibrium of the ring at c:


 TEC
TCD
Y
5
3
X
4 450
C


WB


  FX  0
   FY  0
4
TEc cos 45 0  TCD  0
5
TCD  34.1lb
3
TEG sin 45 0  TCD  WB  0
5
WB  47.8lb
Example3.3.3:

Determine the required length of cord AC

2m

KAB=300N/m
300
A
B

8 Kg

Un deformed length: lAB=0.4m

Solution:

Y

T AC 
T AB
300

W=8*9.81=78.5N

  FX  0
   FY  0
T AB  T AC cos 30 0  0
T AC sin 30 0  78.5  0
solving
T AC  157.0 N
T AB  136.0 N
Sketch the spring AB:
From
T AB  k AB S AB
T AB
S AB 
k AB
therefore
136
S AB   0.453m
300
sketched length :
l AB  l ' AB  S AB  0.4  0.453  0.853m
horizontal distance from C to B
l AC cos 30 0  l AB  2m
l AC  (2  l AB ) / cos 30 0
 (2  0.853) / cos 30 0
or
l AC  1.32m
Example Problem3-1
Two flexible cables A and B are used to support a 220-lb traffic light as shown in fig 3-
3a. Determine the tension in each of the cables.

A
B
0
20
250

(a)
Fig3-3

FA
FB

200
250 X

220lb
A flexible cable always exerts a tensile
force with a line of action along the axis
of the cable
(b)

Solution:
The light is subjected to a system of coplanar, concurrent forces .The necessary and
sufficient conditions for equilibrium are given in Eq3-3 as  FX  0 and  FY  0
Applying these equations by using the free body diagram for the traffic light shown in
Fig 3-3b yields

  FX  FB cos 250  FA cos 20 0  0
FB  1.0368 FA
   FY  FB sin 25 0  FA sin 20 0  220
 1.0368 FA sin 25 0  FA sin 20 0  220  0
solving
FA  281.98lb  282lb
FB  292.36lb  292lb
Example3.2
A homogeneous sphere with a mass of 50Kg rests against two planes that form a V –
shaped trough as shown in Fig3-4a .Determine the forces exerted on the sphere by the
planes at contact points A and B

Solution:

450 X
A
B
450 300

(a) FA FB

Fig3.4 (b)

The sphere is subjected to a system of coplanar, concurrent forces .The necessary and
sufficient conditions for equilibrium are given by Equs3-3 as  FX  0and  FY  0
applying these Equations, by using the free body diagram for the sphere shown in Fig3-
4b yields


 FX  FA cos 450  FB cos 60 0  0
FB  1.41421FA
   FY  FA sin 45 0  FB sin 60 0  mg  
 FA sin 45 0  1.4142 FA sin 60 0  50(9.81)  0
solving
FA  253.90  254 N
FB  359.07  359 N
Example problem3-3

A free body diagram of a particle subjected to the action of four forces is shown in
Fig3-5a .Determine the magnitudes of Forces F1 and F2 so that the particle is in
equilibrium

n
F1
Y F1
F4=10kips
F4=10kips
300 F2
300 F2
150 300 60 0
X 300
450
560 X
260 (b)
F3=40kips
F3=40kips Fig-3.5
(a)
The x-and y- components of the resultant
of any number of forces in a plane are the
algebraic sums of the x and y components
of the individual forces

Summing forces in a direction

perpendicular to one of the unknown
forces eliminates the need to solve the
simultaneous equations

The particle is subjected to a system of forces of coplanar forces. The necessary and
sufficient conditions for equilibrium are given by Eq 3-3 as  FX  0and  FY  0
Applying these equations by using the free body diagram shown in Fig 3-5 a yields

   FX  F1 X  F2 X  F3 X  F4 X
 F1 cos 60 0  F2 cos 30 0  40 cos 56 0  10 cos 15 0
 0.500 F1  0.8666 F2  22.37  9.659  0
from, which
F1  1.732 F2  64.06
   FY  F1Y  F2Y  F3Y  F4Y
 F1 sin 60 0  F2 sin 30 0  40 sin 56 0  10 sin 15 0
 0.866 F1  0.5000 F2  33.16  2.588  0

from which

F1  0.5774F2  35.30
solving equations a and b simultaneously yields
F1  20.9kips
F2  24.9kips

alternatively ,summing forces in a direction n perpendicular to the line of action of forces

as shown in Fig 3-5 b yields
 Fn  F1n  F3n  F4n
 F1 sin 30 0  40 sin 26 0  10 sin 45 0  0
from, which
F1  20.93  20.9kips
once F1 is known , forces can be summed in any other direction to obtain F2 thus
,summing the forces in x-direction yields
   FX  F1 X  F2 X  F3 X  F4 X
 20.93 cos 60 0  F2 cos 30 0  40 cos 56 0  10 cos 15 0  0
from, which
F2  24.90  24.9kips
3.4 Three dimensional force system:
 
Particle equilibrium requires:  F  0
  
Resolving forces in their respective i , j andk components yields:
   
 FX i   FY j   FZ k  0
This equation is satisfied if
 FX  0
F Y 0
F Z 0
Procedure for analysis:
1. Draw the free body diagram
2. Label all the known and unknown forces
3. Establish the x,y,z coordinates axes with origin at the particle
4. Apply the equations of equilibrium
5. If more than three unknowns exist and the problem involves a spring then
consider using the relationship: F  ks
Example problem 3-4:
Determine the magnitudes of F1 , F2 andF3 for equilibrium of the particle

-
F  (480i  850 j  275k ) N
Z

F1 1350
300 y
600
200 1200 F3

F2

Solution:
F  {480i  850 j  275k}N
F1  F1{cos 30 0 cos 20 0 i  cos 30 0 sin 20 0 j  sin 30 0 k}
 {0.8138F1i  0.2962 F1 j  0.5F1 k}
F2  F2 {cos 120 0 i  cos 60 0 j  cos 135 0 k}
 {0.5F2 i  0.5F2 j  0.7071F2 k}N
F3  {F3 j}N
F x 0
 480  0.8138 F1  0.5 F2  0
F2  2(0.8138 F1  480)
F Y 0
 850  0.2962 F1  0.5 F2  F3  0
F Z 0
275  0.5 F1  0.7071F2  0
F1  1.47 kN
F2  1.43kN
F3  0.571kN
Example 3.4:
The 25-kg flowerpot is supported at A by the three cords . Determine the forces acting in
each cord of equilibrium

600 B
300
D 300

Y
A

Solution:
FAD  FAD (sin 30 0 i  cos 30 0 sin 60 0 j  cos 30 0 cos 60 0 k )
 0.5FAD i  0.75FAD j  0.433FAD k
FAC  FAC ( sin 30 0 i  cos 30 0 sin 60 0 j  cos 30 0 cos 60 0 k )
 0.5FAC i  0.75FAC j  0.4330 FAC k
FAB  FAB (sin 45 0 j  cos 45 0 k )  0.707 FAB j  0.7071FAB k
F  25(9.81)k   245.25k N

F  0
FAD  FAB  FAC  F  0
(0.5FAD i  0.75FAD j  0.4330 FAD k )  (0.707 FAB j  0.707 FAB k ) 
(0.5FAC i  0.75FAC j  0.4330 FAC k )  (245.25k )  0
(0.5FAD  0.5FAC )i  (0.75FAD  0.7071FAB  0.75F AC ) j
 (0.4330 FAD  0.7071FAB  0.4330 FAC  245.25)k  0
Thus
 FX  0
0.5FAD  0.5FAc  0
F y 0
 0.75FAD  0.7070 FAB  0.75FAC  0
F Z 0
0.4330 FAD  0.7071FAB  0.4333FAC  245.25  0

Therefore

FAD  FAC  104 N

FAB  220 N