Experiment 3: Conditions for Equilibrium

Laboratory report

Angelica Abella, Audrey Adviento, Nicholas Raphael Arcangel, Angela Rose Balmes

Department of Math and Physics

College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
España, Manila Philippines

Abstract The first condition states that, the net

Equilibrium is a state in which
opposing forces or influences are balanced.
Any object in equilibrium is acted upon by a
force or a number of forces called the
resultant which is balanced by its
equilibriant force. This experiment that
address several conditions in equilibrium
comprises four different set-ups that include
the determination of equilibriant force using
the force table and component method,
determination of unknown forces using the
first condition, and second conditions for
equilibrium and the location of the center of
gravity.
1. Introduction
of the forces applied to an object must be
equal to zero. There should be no
acceleration [1].
It is common knowledge that every
object in the world, including us humans,
has forces applied to it in every direction.
Forces cause a certain body of mass to
move. However, if the opposite force
applied to the body is equal to the force
acting on it in the opposite direction, the
resultant would be equal to zero, thus,
producing no motion at all.
“The net torque acting on the object
must be zero” [1] is what the second
condition of equilibrium states.

Equilibrium is the state in which a Torque is defined as the effect of a

particular object is in lack of change, not in
motion and thus, at rest [3]. This force, also
known as equilibrant force, virtually acts on
every object in the world which is not
moving. In 1800, the term “equilibrium”
was first used to indicate counterbalancing a
force system [4].
There are two conditions for
equilibrium.
force that causes an object to twist or rotate.
This is done by applying a force(s) adjacent
to a fixed point. Therefore, the second
condition to achieve equilibrium is simply
by avoiding “accelerated rotation”.
Achieving equilibrium also involves
determining the center of gravity of a certain
object. The center of gravity or center of
mass is the “unique point where the
weighted relative position of the distributed
mass sums to zero” [2], or put simply, it is
where the mass of an object is concentrated.
Knowing where the center of gravity
of an object is important because applying
force to that concentrated point causes an
object to move.
The objectives of this experiment are
to determine the equilibrant force using the
force table and component method, to
determine unknown forces using the first
and second conditions of equilibrium, to
locate the center of gravity of a composite
body, and to demonstrate rotational
equilibrium.
2. Theory
The equilibrant force is a “force equal to, but
opposite of, the resultant sum of vector
forces” [4].
Consider the diagram,
Where FR is the resultant force and
FE is the equilibrant force.
Therefore, FR = F1 + F2 and FR = -FE.
First Condition for Equilibrium
In the form of an equation, the first
condition simply means:
Fnet = 0.
For example, if there are forces
acting on an object along the x- and y-axes,
the resultant of all the forces combined must
be equal to zero.
In the figure above, all the forces
acting on the man sums up to zero, with this,
he remains at rest or stationary.
Locating the Center of Gravity
The center of gravity of an object is
where its mass is concentrated, and when
gravity is applied to it, the object remains
balanced.
To determine the center of gravity/
mass of two combined objects, we use the
equation:
And
Where,
x1 and y1 are the coordinates of the
center of gravity of object 1 and,
x2 and y2 are the coordinates of the
center of gravity of object 2.
Second Condition for Equilibrium
Torque is simply a force with
relation to the distance from a fixed point.
In equation form, the magnitude of
torque is defined to be
τ = rFsinθ
where τ (the Greek letter tau) is the
symbol for torque,
r is the distance from the pivot point
to the point where the force is applied,
F is the magnitude of the force, and,
 θ is the angle between the force and the
vector directed from the point of application
to the pivot point.
3. Methodology
The materials used in the experiment
were force table and accessories, force
board, cylinder of unknown weight,
spring scale (board), electronic gram
balance, illustration board, aluminum bar
with unknown weight, and a protractor.
Activity one was all about
Equilibrant Force. Estimation of the
location where the ring will reach
equilibrium was done. The group
weighed Pan A, Pan B and Pan C and
placed them with respective weights to
their respective position in degrees. Pan
A with 100g was place on the 30o point,
Pan B with 150g was placed on the 2000
point, and Pan C was used to balance the
tensions between the first two strings by
putting weights on it and placing it in the
right position in degrees. The group
weighed 86.26g and placed Pan C on the
50 point. The magnitude of each tensions
with respect with their position was
measured, computed, and recorded. The
theoretical equilibrant was also
computed using the component method
and the percent error was also computed
and recorded.
Activity two was all about the First
Condition for Equilibrium. A cylinder of
unknown weight was hung on the force
board using two strings. A spring
balance was attached to the end of one of
the strings and the other string was
pulled to balance the forces until the pin
on the board was exactly at the middle of
the ring and the angle made was
recorded as θ. T1 was the reading on the
spring balance. A free body diagram was
drawn and T1 was used to compute for
T2, the tension in the other string where
the weight of the cylinder was
determined. The cylinder was then
weighed for the theoretical value.
Activity three was all about Locating
the Center of Gravity. A circle with a
diameter of 10cm and a square with a
10cm sides were prepared by the group.
Both the circle and the square were
weighed and recorded as Wc and Ws
respectively. Using the plumb line and
balancing method was used to determine
the center of gravity of the composite
figure. The position of each center of
gravity was specified by using the
leftmost side of the square as the y-axis
and the bottom of the square as the x-
axis. Lastly, the results obtained were
checked by the actual computation of the
center of gravity.
Activity four was all about the
Second Condition for Equilibrium. The
center of gravity of the aluminum bar
was obtained by balancing it on a pencil.
From one end of the aluminum bar a
cylinder was hanged 5.0 cm away from
the edge. A force board was used to
support the aluminum bar by using a
spring balance on one end and a string
on the other end until the aluminum bar
obtained a horizontal position and
balance was achieved. Using the second
condition of equilibrium, the theoretical
weight of the cylinder, and a free body
diagram, the weight of the bar and the
tension in the string was computed.
Lastly, using an electronic gram balance
the aluminum bar was weighed for the
accepted value and the percent error was
computed.
4. Results and Discussion
 Experimental Weight (g) 68.03 g
Table 1. Results for Activity One:
Equilibrant Force Theoretical Weight (g) 50.06 g

% Error 35.90%
Magnitude
Tensions Position (˚)
(g)
Table 2 shows the magnitude,
TA 146.72 g 30˚ position, experimental weight, theoretical
weight of the strings and its resulting
TB 203.78 g 200˚
percentage error acquired in Activity 2.
Experimental Applying the first condition for equilibrium,
86.26 g 5˚
Equilibrant the value for the tension upon the second
string is 356.55 g (see figure 1). This means
Theoretical
54.534 g 3.254˚ that three forces caused the ring to be in the
Equilibrant center (or in equilibrium): a 360.0 g force in
% Error 33.67 % 34.92% line with the +x-axis, a force of 356.55 g at
an angle of 11˚ relative to the x-axis and a
cylinder whose theoretical weight is 50.06 g.
Table 1 shows the magnitude, position,
Experimentally, the weight of the cylinder is
experimental equilibrant, theoretical
68.03 g which produces a %error of 35.90%.
equilibrant of the weights in the pan and its
resulting percentage error acquired in
Figure 1. Free body diagram of ring
Activity 1. As the table presents, the pans A
and B along their respective weights of 100g
and 150g produced a resultant force equal to
the equilibrant. Through measuring and
component method, two values, theoretical
and experimental, were produced with a
%error of 33.67% for the magnitude and
34.92% for the position. Probable errors
committed by the group were systematic and
gross errors. It was possible that the
computation and the variation in
measurements led to the %error.

Table 2. Results for Activity Two: First

Condition for Equilibrium

T1 (g) 350.0 g
Table 3. Results for Activity Three:
θ (˚) 11˚ Locating the Center of Gravity
T2 (g) 356.55 g
 Center of Gravity Theoretical Weight of the
Method 0.78 N
Bar (N)
x-coordinate y-coordinate
% Error 40.62 %
Plumbing
0.109 m 0.050 m
line Method
The fourth activity was about the
Balancing application of the second condition of
0.110 m 0.052 m
Method equilibrium by the use of a metal cylinder
Computation 0.108 m 0.050 m and an aluminum bar. The tension of the
string was depended on the gravity. The
reading on the spring balance was used
The third activity was about locating
together with the position of the cylinder in
the center of gravity of a circle and square
terms of distance from the fixed point to
together. The center of gravity was where all
compute the tension applied by the
the lines intersect based from the
aluminum bar. We had a 40.62% error in this
measurement using the y-axis and x-axis of
experiment due to the values of the
the square. Based on the computations and
experimental weight (N) and theoretical
calculations, the plumb line method (y-
weight (N) of the bar having a 0.320 N
axis=0.050 m & x-axis=0.109 m), and the
difference (see figure 2).
balancing method (y-axis=0.052 m & x-
axis=0.110 m), the results are reasonably
close to one another because the center of
gravity of a certain object does not change.
The center of gravity was also computed
using the measurement taken and weights of
the square and circle respectively. The
results were 0.050 m for the y-axis and
0.108 for the x-axis, and were not far off
from the results of the two methods used.

Table 4. Results for Activity Four: Second

condition for Equilibrium 5. Conclusion

Equilibrant forces are those that

Reading of Spring scale
(N)
Weight of Cylinder (N)
Tension in the String (N)
Experimental Weight of
the Bar (N)
0.98 N counteract the force pushing or pulling the
object in the opposite direction. It
0.49 N establishes equilibrium for an object and
make the object motionless. This is the
0.61 N principle for activity one. The first condition
of equilibrium is that the net force in all
1.10 N directions must be zero. In activity two this
was shown through the tensions that cancels
out the force exerted making the pin exactly
in the middle of the ring. For activity three,
the center of gravity is the average location
of the weight of an object. It can help
scientist completely in describing
the motion of any object through space in
terms of the translation of the center of
gravity of the object from one place to
another, and the rotation of the object about
its center of gravity if it is free to rotate. In
activity four the relationship between the
force in relation with the distance on the
fixed point or pivot point was shown.

6. Applications

i. State the first condition for

equilibrium. If a body is in Then, the x- and y- coordinates of T were
equilibrium, are there no forces solved using the cosine and sine functions,
acting on it? respectively.

The first condition states that the net force

acting on the object must be zero. This
means that the sum of all the forces is equal
to zero. An object can be an equilibrium as Adding the given degrees of T and T would
long as a force balances each other. yield 24˚. Then, the same equation can be
used to solve for its coordinates.
ii. The Russell traction system shown
below is used for a fractured femur.
Identify the forces acting on the
femur. If the weight hang is 5.0kg,
find the force needed to immobilize The x- and y-coordinates has the sum of
the femur. What will supply this 88.805N and 41.41N, respectively. Then, the
force? yielded sum was used to get the Final force
and its angle.

F = 97.985N
iii. What happens to the center of
gravity of a person under the
following situations? A) His upper
right extremity is amputated. B) He
carries all his books using the right
arm only.
a. If a person is amputated on his upper
right extremity, the center of gravity
moves away from the amputated arm
towards the left. Therefore, the center
of gravity will move downward and
toward the left side.
b. If a person uses his right arm to hold
a book, the distribution of mass is
uneven, the center of gravity will be
nearer to the heavier end so the center
of gravity is nearer to the right arm
holding all the books.
iv. Devise a way by which you could
determine your center of gravity.
One way to determine the center of
gravity is that a person could recline on a
piece of wood, either parallel or
perpendicular and with either
measurement, the person would move
from one side to the other. The center in
each axis is the point where the body is
in equilibrium, when the axes meet at a
point that point will be the center of
gravity.
v. In general, the women’s center of
gravity tend to be lower than men’s.
Can you explain why?
The pelvis area of the women are bigger.
This means that the lower body of
women is generally heavier in
comparison to their whole body, as
opposed to the lower body of men. This
would make the center of gravity of
women slightly lower, because more of
their body mass is concentrated at the
lower portion of their body.
7. References
[1]Boundless. (n.d.). Conditions for
Equilibrium. Boundless physics.
Retrieved February, 18, 2017, from:
https://www.boundless.com/physics/
textbooks/boundless-physics-
textbook/
[2]Center of mass. (n.d.). Hyperphysics.
Retrieved February 18, 2017, from
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/
hbase/cm.html
[3] Cutnell, J.D. & Johnson K.W. (2013).
Introduction to physics (9th ed.).
California, USA: John Wiley &
Sons.
[4] Equilibrant force. (n.d.). In Study
physics. Retrieved February 18,
2017, from http://
www.studyphysics.ca/newnotes/20/
unit01_kinematicsdynamics/
chp06_vectors/lesson24.htm