Experiment 3: Conditions for Equilibrium

Laboratory Report
Kathleen Ngo, Jonathan Oguan, Juan Karlos Parras, Isauro Christian Robles
Department of Math and Physics
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Methodology
In this experiment, force table and
accessories, force board, cylinder of
unknown weight, spring scale, electronic
gram balance, card board, aluminum bar,
unknown weight, and protractor are the
materials used.
In Activity 1, three pans of a force
table were weighed individually and labelled
Pan A, B, and C. Pan A and B were hung at
30 and 200 mark respectively. A 100g was
placed on pan A while 150g was placed on
pan B. The weight of the pan and the weight
added were recorded as TA and TB. The
tension in the strings was balanced by
positioning and adding a weight on pan C.
The magnitude and position of Pan C was
recorded as experimental equilibrant while
the theoretical equilibrant was determined
using the component method.
In Activity 2, using a force board, a
cylinder of unknown weight was suspended
using two strings. One end of string was
attached to the spring scale and the other
string was pulled horizontally to balance the
pin exactly at the middle of the ring. The
reading on the spring scale was recorded as
T1. Using a protractor the angle made by the
other string was measured and was recorded
as . A free body diagram of the ring was
drawn. The T2 in the other string and the
weight of the cylinder was determined. The
cylinder was weighed for the theoretical

value and for the computation of the %

error.
In Activity 3, a circle with a
diameter of 10cm and a square with a side of
10cm were cut from a cardboard. The circle
and the square were measured and recorded
as WC and Ws respectively. The center of
gravity of the composite figure was
determined by balancing method and plumb
line method. The position of the center of
the gravity was specified using the leftmost
side of the square as the y-axis and the
bottom of the square as the x-axis. After
getting all the coordinates the experimental
results were compared with the actual
computation of center of gravity.
In Activity 4, the center of gravity of
a aluminium bar was located by balancing it
on a pencil or other knife edge. The
positioned of the center of gravity was
marked. The cylinder used in the previous
activity was hung 5.0 cm from one end of
the bar. Using the force board, the aluminum
bar was supported by means of a spring
scale on one end and a string on the other
end until the bar was to be assumed on a
horizontal position. The forces acting on the
bar were balanced and a free body diagram
of the bar was drawn. The second condition
for equilibrium was used to determine the
weight of the bar and the tension of the
string. The bar was was weighed using an
electronic gram balance for the theoretical
value and for the computation of the %
error.

Results and Discussions

Table 1. Data Summary for Equilibrant
Forces
Tensions
TA
TB
Experimental
Equilibrant
Theoretical
Equilibrant
% error

Magnitude
(g)
135.80g
185.80g
71.31g

Positions
(o)
30 o
200 o
105 o

57.15g

184.37 o

24.78%

43.05%

Table 1 shows the magnitude and position,

of different tensions on the force table. 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. Using the measured magnitude
and position of the tensions A and B and
through the use of component method,
theoretical and experimental equilibrant
were produced with a % error of 24.78% for
the magnitude and 43.05% for the position.
Systematic error might as well random error
were the errors that led the group to this
large % error.

Table 2. Data Summary for First

Condition of Equilibrium
T1 (g)
(o)

= 32.0o
T3 = 200g

Table 2 shows the magnitude, position,

experimental weight, theoretical weight of
the strings and its resulting percentage error
acquired in Activity 2. Applying the first
condition for equilibrium, the value for the
tension upon the second string is 3.46 N.
This means that three forces caused the ring
to be in the center (or in equilibrium): a
3.33N force in line with the +x-axis, a force
of 3.46N at an angle of 164 relative to the xaxis and a cylinder whose theoretical
weight is 0.98 N. Experimentally, the weight
of the cylinder is 0.95N which produces a
%error of 3.06%.
Table 2. Data Summary for Locating the
Center of Gravity
Method

Plumb line
Method
Balancing
Method
Computation
Weight
of
square

Center of Gravity
xycoordinate coordinate

Weight
of Circle

T2 (g)
Experimental
Weight (g)
Theoretical Weight
(g)
% error

Table 3 shows the data gathered in Activity

3.Three methods were used to find the
center of gravity of the composite figure (or
squircle): plumb line method, balancing
method, and by computation. Upon finding
the weight of each figure, the formula for

the computation was followed to yield the

coordinates for the center of gravity. As the
results show, both the plumb line and
balancing method yielded results close to the
ones by computation.
Table 3. Data Summary for Second
Condition of Equilibrium
Weight of the
Cylinder (g)
Tension in the String
(g)
Experimental Weight
of the Bar (g)
Theoretical Weight
of the Bar (g)
% Error

measurements the percent error that has

been computed is 8.87%. This % error was
perhaps brought about by the instrument or
maybe some mistakes in reading and
obtaining the measurement given by the
instrument.

50g

References

80g

[1]Britannica. (n.d.). Equilibrium. Retrieved

January 19, 2013, from Britannica
Encyclopedia:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic
/190745/equilibrium

72.66g
79.73g
8.87%

Table 4 shows the weight of the cylinder, the

tension in the string and the experimental
and theoretical weight of the bar. As shown
in this table, theoretical and experimental
weight calculated using the given weight of
the cylinder and the tension in the string that
is read by the spring balance. Using those

[2]Padua, A. L., & Crisostomo, R. M.

(2007). Practical and Explorational Physics
Modular Approach. Quezon City: Vibal
Publishing House.