Applied Mechanics Department, MNNIT Allahabad, India-211004

Tutorial Sheet-2 (Equilibrium; Hooke’s Law etc): Engineering Mechanics (AM-11101)

B.Tech (I Semester), Session 2019-20
1. State and explain the various idealizations / assumptions generally used in Engineering Mechanics. Discuss on
various types of Forces and Structures, with suitable examples. Also explain the Principle of Transmissibility of
Forces and discuss on its limitation.
2. Distinguish between a Physical / Space Diagram and a Free Body Diagram (FBD) with appropriate examples.
Explain how many Force Equilibrium Equations (FEEs) may be written in general from the FBD, for each of a:
(i) three-dimensional (3D) (ii) two-dimensional (2D) / co-planar and (iii) one-dimensional (1D) problem in
mechanics. Explain how many effective FEEs are available for a Co-Planar: (i) Concurrent and (ii) Parallel
Force System?
3. What is the Law of Polygon of Forces? How would you calculate the Moment of a Force about a point and about
an arbitrary axis? State and prove Varignon’s Theorem.
4. Define a prismatic bar and its axis. State and explain the Hooke’s Law for an uniaxially loaded prismatic bar
and mention the assumptions behind this law. In this regard, what is your understanding about normal stress and
normal strain? Elaborate the comment that: ‘Strains are the cause and Stresses are the effect of strains’.
5. Two smooth (frictionless) cylinders (A) and (B) of weight W and radius r each are kept in a horizontal channel
of width (b < 4r), as shown in Fig.-1. Find the reaction forces coming from the two sides and the bottom of the
channel as well as the forces exerted by the cylinders to each other, assuming the channel walls also to be
smooth. Take r = 250 mm, b = 900 mm and W = 100 KN.
6. A carriage wheel of weight W and radius r is to be dragged over a block (Fig.-2) of height h by a horizontal
force F applied at center of the wheel. Show that the force F should be greater than: W  
2r h - h 2 /  r - h  .
7. A bar AB of weight W and length l is hinged at support A and is pulled by a force P applied through a cable
attached at B. Find the magnitude of the force P and the value as well as direction of reaction at support A, if the
bar is to be kept in equilibrium position as shown in Fig.-3.
8. Determine the necessary value of the force P such that the net reaction force that would be induced at the
hinged support A of the beam-like structure shown in Fig.-4, is perfectly horizontal. The force P is applied at the
free end of a rigid stick attached rigidly at the free end of the beam as shown in the Figure. How much vertical
reaction force would be induced at support A in absence of P ?
9. A solid sphere of weight W=1.0 kN is restricted from rolling down an inclined plane by a string AB attached to
its centre as shown in Fig.-5. Find the tension that would be induced in the string and the reactive force at the
point of contact C between the sphere and the plane.
10. Three identical spheres, each of weight W are stacked as shown in Fig.-6, on the smooth inclined surfaces, each
inclined at an angle of θ with the horizontal. Determine the smallest angle θ to prevent the stack from collapsing.
11. An axially symmetric prismatic bar (ABCD) having stepwise varying cross-sections are loaded with some axial
forces as shown in Fig-7. The segments AB, BC and CD have cross-sectional areas 500 mm2, 600 mm2 and 450
mm2 respectively. Calculate the normal stresses developed in each segment and the axial displacement of point
D with respect to point A. Assume Young’s Modulus of Elasticity as E = 210 Gpa.
12. A rigid steel plate is supported by three concrete posts, each having a 100 mm×100 mm square cross-section, as
shown in Fig-8. By faulty construction, the middle post is 0.5 mm shorter than the other two before load P is
applied. Find the required value of the load P to induce a compressive stress of 10 MPa in the inner post,
assuming the value of the modulus of elasticity of concrete to be E = 12 GPa;. Also calculate the stresses that
would be induced in the two outer posts, at that time. [1 MPa=106 Pa, 1GPa = 109 Pa, 1 Pa = 1 N/m2].
13. Assuming that both parts of the vertical bar ABC, of the assembly shown in Fig-9, are made of the same
material, obtain an expression for the ratio of the loads P2/P1 so that the net vertical deflection of point C will be
zero. Obtain the expression in terms of the cross-sectional areas A1 and A2 and the dimensions L1, L2, L3 and L4
as shown in the figure.
14. An aluminium and a copper bar, both of length 400 mm, are fixed between two rigid steel plates and applied
with a load of 20 kN, as shown in Fig-10. Assuming for the aluminium and the copper bar, the cross-sectional
areas as 400 mm2 and 600 mm2 respectively; Modulus of Elasticity as 70 Gpa and 120 Gpa respectively;
determine the change in length that the bars would go through. Also determine the normal axial stresses that
would be induced in the bars.

Figure-1 (B) B
P
r r
F 30
(A)
W Figure-3
r W h
45
W Figure-2

b
P
90 Rigid Stick
50 kN
40 kN/m A
1m 1m 1m 1m 1m
15
B
60 kN-m 2m 1m
A Figure-5
B C
Figure-4

45

Figure-6
2.0 m 1.8 m 1.5 m

35 KN 50 KN
A B 20 KN C D

Figure-7

Steel Plates

A
Steel Plate Aluminium
P 20 kN 20 kN
L1 A1
Copper
L3 L4
0.05 cm Figure-10
E
B
60 cm
Concrete Posts D P2
L2 A2

C Figure-9 Note: Figures are

not in Scale
Figure-8 P1