Introduction
When a system is in equilibrium, all forces acting on it are balanced and the net force is zero. When all forces cancel out in this way we have a “static” situation. In this lab we will explore various configurations of a system in static equilibrium using a “virtual” force table.
Objective
Determine a force distribution that creates a system in static equilibrium.
Procedure: Virtual Experiments with Force Table
A force table is a round table with a center pin and angle divisions marked around its outside edge. A ring is placed around the center pin that has strings attached to it. Those strings are run over pulleys at different locations around the table and various masses are hung from their ends. Each string will exert a force on the ring that is proportional to the mass hung on it and in a direction along the lone of the string.
The three forces on the force table above are in equilibrium (i.e. the center pin is not moving).
Instead of conducting these experiments in the lab you are asked to balance each of the five force table configurations (show your work):
Lab 5: Force Table
Configuration 1:
| vector | mass, kg | force magnitude, N | angle | Fx | Fy | |
| A | 0.2 | 20o | ||||
| B | 0.15 | 80o | ||||
| equilibrant C |
Configuration 2:
| vector | mass, kg | force magnitude, N | angle | Fx | Fy | |
| A | 0.2 | 30o | ||||
| B | 0.15 | 150o | ||||
| equilibrant C |
Configuration 3:
| vector | mass, kg | force magnitude, N | angle | Fx | Fy | |
| A | 0.130 | 0o | ||||
| B | 0.170 | 72o | ||||
| equilibrant C | 222o |
Configuration 4:
| vector | mass, kg | force magnitude, N | angle | Fx | Fy |
| A | 0.090 | 247o | |||
| B | 0.150 | 96o | |||
| equilibrant C | 0.085 |
Lab 5: Force Table
Configuration 5:
| vector | mass, kg | force magnitude, N | angle | Fx | Fy |
| A | 0.110 | 53o | |||
| B | 0.250 | 300o | |||
| equilibrant C |
