Group No: Faculty of Engineering & Technology

Group member: Mechanical Engineering Department

Autumn 2014-15

ME 14.101 Applied Mechanics

Mody University QLM

Group Assignment 1
This assignment is designed to assess your critical thinking, problem solving, and communication
skills. You have to apply the knowledge of principles and laws of mechanic used in system of forces,
moments, couples and equilibrium of bodies to the following set of problems. Your answer will be
judged for its clarity, relevance, coherence, logic, depth, and fairness.

Students have to follow below problem-solving methodology which helps you to develop your
problem-solving skill.

Road map: provides some of the general objectives of the problem and develops a strategy for how
the solution will be developed.

Modeling: a real-life problem is idealized by a model i.e. the selection of the laws/ principles
needed to solve the problem
Equations: writing all the equations needed to solve the problem.
Computation: solve the equations.

Discussion: the solution is interrogated to ensure that it is meaningful and accurate.

Problem 1: The truck is to be towed using two ropes. If the resultant force is to be 950 N, directed
along the positive x axis, determine the magnitudes of forces FA and FB acting on each rope and the
angle of FB so that the magnitude of FB is a minimum. FA acts at 20 from the x axis as shown.
Problem 2: The handle of the hammer is subjected to the force of F = 20 lb. Determine the moment
of this force about the point A.

Problem 3: The floor causes a couple moment of M A = 40 N.m and M B = 30 N.m on the brushes
of the polishing machine. Determine the magnitude of the couple forces that must be developed by
the operator on the handles so that the resultant couple moment on the polisher is zero.What is the
magnitude of these forces if the brush at B suddenly stops so that MB = 0?

Problem 4: Determine the tension developed in each wire used to support the 50-kg chandelier.
Solution 1:

Solution 2:
Solution 3:

Solution 4: