Experiment 3: Conditions for Equilibrium Report

College of Science, University of Santo Tomas

España, Manila, Philippines

Abstract velocity, unless acted upon by an external

The aim of this experiment is to force.
identify how different factors affect The basic understanding of this law
equilibriant forces of a rigid body. The allows us to understand the common
objectives of this experiment is to: determine occurrences that happen in our everyday
the equilibrant force using the force table lives, such as experiencing shoulder pain as
and component method, to determine a result of unevenly distributed weight of
unknown forces using the first condition and our belongings. The word 'equilibrium'
second condition for equilibrium, to locate means balance, so the imbalance suggests a
the center of gravity of a composite body, to failure to meet the conditions of equilibrium.
demonstrate rotational equilibrium. The Static equilibrium occurs when an object is
results indicate that there is a 5.55% error at rest and stable, satisfying both
in the angle of position between the translational equilibrium and rotational
theoretical and experimental values, while equilibrium. This implies that static
the results in the center of gravity found that equilibrium must possess a net force of zero
balancing method is closer to the for translational equilibrium and a net torque
computation of the center of gravity of zero for rotational equilibrium,
compared to the plumb line method and that respectively.
there is around a 30% error between the The distribution of weight,
experimental weight and theoretical weight concentrated on one shoulder only, affects a
of the bar. person's stability and is related to another
concept called the center of gravity. It is
described as the point where the total weight
1. Introduction is concentrated. If the weight of the
The great physicist, mathematician, belongings, which is exerting downward
and scientist Isaac Newton developed the force, is located far from the center of
Three Newton’s Law of Motion. The first gravity, it can create rotational force on the
law of motion, which is related to conditions body to counteract the imbalance.
of equilibrium, states that an object at rest Therefore, the experiment has four
will remain at rest, and an object in motion objectives: (1) to determine the equilibriant
will continue moving with a constant force table and component method, (2) to
determine unknown forces using the first
condition and second condition, (3) to locate 𝜏=F⋅l
the center of gravity of an asymmetrical
composite body using three different method
(plumb line method, balancing method, and Lastly, the center of gravity of a
computation method) and (4) to demonstrate body is the point where torque caused by the
rotational equilibrium. weight of the body is calculated from.

2. Theory 𝑊1𝑥1+𝑊2𝑥2+...
𝑥𝑐𝑔 =
In Newton’s first law of motion, it is 𝑊1+𝑊2+...

stated that an object at rest will remain at

rest, while an object in motion will remain 3. Methodology
in motion with a constant velocity unless In this experiment, three activities
acted upon by a net external force. In other were conducted.
terms an object will remain in equilibrium The first activity utilized a force
until disturbed by an external force. In table and its corresponding accessories: 3
equilibrium, the summation of all external pans, as well as 2 weights of 100g and 150g
forces applied to a body equates to zero; repectively, and a phone charger adapter.
First, on the 30 and 200 degree marks on the
∑F = 0 → ∑Fx = 0; and ∑Fy = 0 force table, pan A and B were placed
respectively. The 100g weight was placed on
Meanwhile, in Newton’s second law pan A while pan B held the 150 g weight.
of motion, it is stated that the acceleration of With this, TA and TB, the tensions acting in
an object as produced by a net force is the string from the pan’s weight and the
directly proportional to the magnitude of the added weight, were recorded. The tensions
net force, in the same direction as the net for pan A and B’s strings were balanced
force, and inversely proportional to the mass through placing a phone charger adapter to
of the object. In relation to rotational act as weight on pan C and moved around
motion, the location of the axis of rotation the table until the pin in the silver ring was
and the direction of the force applied exactly at the center, which denoted that the
equates to the amount of torque applied. tensions are balanced. The magnitude and
position of the equilibrant were then
For a body to be in rotational recorded. The theoretical equilibriant of the
equilibrium, the summation of all external two tensions was solved by component
torques applied to a body equates to zero. method, in which the tensions of TA and TB
were broken down into their horizontal and
∑𝜏 =0 vertical components, then added together to
find the resultant force which was converted
Where, ∑ means summation; 𝜏 into the equilibriant by simply changing its
means torque and is expressed as the direction. The percent error was then
magnitude of force ⋅ length of lever arm. computed by subtracting the experimental
value with the theoretical value, dividing it center of gravity is computed by adding the
by the theoretical value, and multiplying this product of square’s weight and measured
all by 100. x-coordinate and the product of circle’s
The second activity was performed weight and measured x-coordinate, divided
using a piece of cardboard, two pens, a piece by the sum of the weights of the circle and
of yarn, and a weighing scale. To start, the square. The y-coordinate for the actual
cardboard was cut out into a circle shape center of gravity is computed in the same
with a diameter of 10 cm and a square shape way, but the x-coordinates are exchanged
also with a size of 10 cm. Each shape was with the measured y-coordinates from the
weighed using the weighing scale, with the experiments.
circle weighing 4.9g and the square In Activity 3, an aluminum bar, a
weighing 5.7g. The circle and square were cylinder, a spring scale, a weighing scale
then attached to each other side by side and a piece of yarn were utilised. Both the
using masking tape. Then the plumb line aluminum bar and cylinder were first
method was utilized, wherein a hole was weighed using the weighing scale. Next, the
poked in the top left corner of the square, aluminum bar’s center of gravity was first
one end of a yarn was inserted into the hole located and marked by a balancing method
and the other end was tied to a ballpoint pen. similar to Activity 2. One end of the
The composite figure was then allowed to aluminum bar was tied to with the yarn
hang in the air as a member held the short string, and the other end was attached to the
excess of yarn from the side that was tied to spring scale. Due to the lack of a force
the hole in the cardboard figure. The board, both the yarn and spring scale were
ballpoint pen naturally moved towards the held upright by a member to help the
center of gravity, and the spot on the aluminum bar assume a horizontal position.
composite figure directly in front of the The cylinder was then placed 5.0cm away
outstretched yarn was marked with another from the spring scale end of the bar. By
pen. This marks the center of gravity for the then, as long as the bar stayed in a horizontal
whole composite figure. To make sure of position, it was assumed that the the forces
this, the center of gravity is measured again acting on the bar are now balanced. A free
using the balancing method in which the diagram was then drawn of this position.
composite figure was balanced on top of a The experimental weight of the bar was then
member’s pointer figure repeatedly through computed by subtracting the product of the
trial and error until it remained stable on top theoretical value from the spring scale and
of the finger and that is now considered the the length of the distance from the opposite
center of gravity. This section is marked end of the bar to the spring scale and the
again with a pen. Then, the position of the product of the weight of the cylinder and the
center of gravity is determined by length of the distance from the opposite end
coordinates, with the left most side being the of the bar to the cylinder, divided by the
y-axis, and the bottom side being the x-axis. length of the distance from the opposite end
Afterwards, the x-coordinate for the actual of the bar towards the position of the bar’s
center of gravity. Comparing this result with Θ = tan-1|(∑Y)/(∑X)|
the theoretical weight of the bar, the percent Θ = tan-1|(∑-0.029)/(∑0.54)|
error was computed through subtracting the ΘR = 2.12°
ΘR = 180° - 2.12°
experimental weight of the bar with the
ΘR = 177.88°
theoretical weight of the bar, dividing this
with the theoretical weight of the bar, and ΘE = -ΘR
then multiplying the dividend by 100. ΘE = 360° - 2.12°
ΘE = 357.88°

4. Results and Discussion % error = |(E - T)/T| X 100

% error = |(0.57- 0.54)/0.54| X 100
% error = 5.55%
Table 1. Tension forces and Equilibrant
for the first condition of equilibrium

MAGNITUDE
Table 2. Collated center of gravity using 2
TENSION (N) POSITION (°) methods
TA 1.13 N 30° N of E Center of Gravity

TB 1.62 N 200° S of W Method x-coordinate y-coordinate

Experimentll plumb line

Equilibrant 0.57 N 369° N of E method 9.5 5.5

Theoretical balancing
Equilibrant 0.54 N 2.12° S of W method 9.1 4.8

% Error 5.55% computation 9.62 5

Table 3. Data for the Aluminum bar

Table 1.2. Computation for the first Activity
condition of equilibrium reading of
spring scale Free body
X Y
(N) 1.23 N diagram
TAY=
Weight of
TAX= 1.13cos30 1.13sin30=
cylinder (N) 0.49 N
TA = 0.98N 0.57N
Experimental
tTBX= TBY=
weight of bar
1.62cos200 = 1.62sin200 =
(N) 1.6205
TB 1.52N 0.55N
Theoretical
∑X = TAX+TBX ∑X = TAY+TBY
weight of bar
∑X = 0.98NN + ∑X = 0.571N +
(N) 1.24
-1.52N -0.55N
∑X = -0.54N ∑X = 0.02N % Error 29.03%

FR =√(〖(∑X〗^2)+〖(∑Y〗^2))
FR=√(〖(-0.54〗^2)+〖(0.02〗^2))
FR = 0.54N Table 1 shows the forces, position, % error
as well as experimental and theoretical
equilibrant of tension A (TA) and tension B learned the importance of equilibrium and
(TB). Provided that Pan A, and Pan B are balance.
placed 30° (1.13 N) and 200° (1.62N),
respectively, Pan C must be kept at 369° 6. Applications
(experimental) with a magnitude of 0.57 N. Table 1. State the first condition for
1.2 includes the computations for the % equilibrium. If a body is in
error which shows that there is a 5.55% equilibrium, are there no forces
error in the angle of position. This implies acting on it?
that there is a small percentage of error The first condition for equilibrium or
between the actual results and theoretical also known as the condition for translational
value. equilibrium states that the vector sum of all
forces acting on an object must be zero. This
means that if an object is in equilibrium, the
Table 2 shows the x and y coordinates of the net force acting on the object is zero. The
center of gravity of the combined shapes equation used for this condition is ∑F = 0.
(circle and square) using the plumb line For an object to be in equilibrium, both
method (9.8 , 5) and the balancing method forces must be equal in magnitude and
(9 , 5) which are both quite near the opposite in direction. There can be multiple
computed actual center of gravity (9.27 , 5). forces acting on a body but they must be
balanced in a way that the vector sum is
Table 3. Presents the reading of the spring zero.
scale (0.98 N), weight of the cylinder (0.49
N) and % error. The experimental and 2. The Russell traction system shown
theoretical weight of the bar are 1.1025N below is used for a fractured
and 0.85N, respectively. Additionally, femur. Identify the forces acting on
computation shows that the % error between the femur. If the weight hang is
the two weights is 29.71%. 5.0kg, find the force needed to
immobilize the femur. What will
5. Conclusion supply this force?
For this experiment we conducted three
activities that will aid us in understanding
the law of motion, specifically the
conditions of equilibrium. All the objectives
set before the experiment were met by the
group in which we are able to determine the
equilibriant force table, the unknown forces
using the first and second condition, to Cable tension:
locate the center of gravity from one point to T = (5.0kg)(9.8m/s2)
another and its rotation. Lastly, we have also T = 49N
T1: 26° N of W following situations? a) His upper
Tx1 = -49cos26° right extremity is amputated. b)
Tx1 = -44 N He carries all his books using the
Ty1 = 49sin26° right arm only.
Ty1 = 21.5 N If the following situations were to
occur this is what will most likely happen:
T2: 12° N of W a.) If a person’s upper right extremity is
Tx2 = -49cos12° amputated then helf or most of this body
Tx2 = -47.9 N mass will be lost resulting to the shift of
Ty2 = 49sin12° their center of gravity to their left side
Ty2 = 10.2 N causing an imbalance.
b.) If a person carries all his books with the
T3: 12° S of W use of his right arm, their center of gravity
Tx3 = -49cos12° would then shift to his right arm due to the
Tx3 = -47.9 N weight of the carried books.
Ty3 = -49sin12°
Ty3 = -10.2 N 4. The human body is a mechanical
system designed by God and
∑Fx = Tx1 + Tx2 + Tx3 consists mostly of levers. Give
∑Fx = (-44N) + (-47.9N) + (-47.9N) examples of these “ human levers.”
∑Fx = -139.8N One example of “human levers” we
have in the human body is the
∑Fy = Ty1 + Ty2 + Ty3 atlanto-occipital joint which is the joint that
∑Fy = (21.5N) + (10.2N) + (-10.2N) is formed by the top of our vertebral column
∑Fy = 21.5N and skull that helps in moving the head
backwards or also known as neck extension.
Resultant Force =√(∑Fx)2 + (∑Fy)2 Another example is the base of our skull that
Resultant Force = √(-139.8N)2 + (21.5N)2 serves as a fulcrum when we nod our head.
Resultant Force = 141.4N
7. References
∑𝐹𝑦
Θ = tan-1 ( ∑𝐹𝑥 ) [1] Centre of Gravity - Detailed explanation,
21.5𝑁
calculation, FAQs. (2023, March 22).
Θ = tan-1( 139.8𝑁 ) BYJUS.
Θ = 8.7° https://byjus.com/physics/centre-of-gravity/

The force pulling the leg/femur is 141.4N at [2] Newton’s Laws of Motion - Three Laws
an angle of 8.7° of Motion Explanation, Examples. (2023,
June 14). BYJUS.
3. What happens to the center of https://byjus.com/physics/laws-of-motion/
gravity of a person under the