Aguite, Rafael Jan D June 8, 2023

2021103814 MEC30-2 / E01

Assignment 1

ELABORATION AND EXAMPLES WITH ILLUSTRATION

1. Rigid Body – A rigid body is a body that does not contort, deform, or lose its shape (Byju’s, n.d.).
An example of a rigid body would be a table as it does not move or contort and always has a
fixed and rigid shape.

2. Equilibrium – An equilibrium is the balance of opposing forces (Britannica, n.d.). An example of

equilibrium would be a vehicle that is moving at a constant velocity. It is an example of
equilibrium for the body of the truck is at a balanced state when the velocity of the truck is
constant.

The pencil is balanced on the finger

3. Force – Force is the pressure placed upon an object or the action acting upon it (Wikipedia, n.d.).
An example of force in rigid bodies would be a rope lifting a box from the ground.
4. Moment of Force (torque) – The moment of force or torque is the turning effect applied on a
force that is measured (Newcastle University, n.d.). It is the product of force multiplied by the
perpendicular distance from the line of action to the turning point of the object. An example of
this would be a door opening and closing.

5. Moment Arm – The moment arm is the length between the joint axis and the line of force acting
on the joint (PT Direct, n.d.). The longer the moment arm, the higher the load which is to be
applied to the joint axis. An example would be a person punching an object.
6. Couple – A couple consists of two parallel, equal in-magnitude forces in opposite directions that
are not acting on the same line (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, n.d.). The forces applied
here would cancel out each other producing a rotational effect that is never in translation. An
example of a couple would be turning the key in a padlock.

7. Resultant Force – A resultant force is the total amount of force that is acting upon an object
along with the direction of the body (Byju’s, n.d.). Then the object is at rest or is traveling at
equal velocity with the body, the resultant force would be zero. An example of resultant force
 would be a cart on a track gaining speed as force is applied to it via being pushed by something
behind it.

8. Free Body Diagram – Free body diagrams are diagrams or graphical illustrations showing the
direction and magnitude of forces that are applied in each object. An example of it being applied
in the real world would be in simulations like in a spacecraft reentering the earth’s atmosphere
wherein the simulation would show many different arrows with different lengths and directions
throughout the spacecraft simulating the different magnitudes and directions of forces applied
on it (The Physics Classroom, n.d.).

9. Center of Gravity – Center of gravity is the point showing the position or location of the resultant
weight in an object or body (Wikibooks, n.d.). It is the center of the body and if this point is
placed on top of something, it would balance out and not fall. An example of the term in the real
 world would be that if you’ve already found the center of gravity in a pen, then you can place
the point in your finger, and it would not fall.

10. Friction – Friction is the resistance an object would be enacted with when it is being moved
while in contact with another object(Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). An example of friction would
be rubbing your hands together. Another example would be drifting cars. One more example
would be a box experiencing resistance when a person pushes it.

PROBLEM-SOLVING

1. A 30-N force F is applied to the end of a 0.5m lever. Calculate the magnitude of the moment that
this force produces about point O and state the direction of the rotational effect.
 Step 1: Create a Free Body Diagram. This is done to understand the problem more thru drawing.

Step 2: Solve for the moment arm length.

The moment arm d has a length of _____

Moment arm = 0.5sin80o

= 0.4924

Step 3: Solve the problem.

M = Fd
M = (30)(0.4924)
M = 14.772 N.m↻

Answer: 14.772 N.m↻

REASONING: to solve for the moment of force, use the formula M=Fd wherein F is the force (30
N) and d is the distance (0.4924).

2. The figure below shows the concurrent force system acting at a joint of a bridge truss. Determine
the value ofQ and R to maintain the equilibrium of forces
Step 1: Create a Free Body Diagram.

Step 2: Solve the Problem

∑horizontal = 0

60sin20o – Q cos60o – R sin40o = 0

R sin40o + Q cos60o = 60sin20o (Equation 1)

∑vertical = 0

60sin20o + Q sin60o – R cos40o = 0

R cos40o - Q sin60o = 60sin20o (Equation 2)

Using the calculator, press the menu then A, then select Simultaneous equation and press 2, then
type in equations 1 and 2 to get the answer.

Answer:

R = 62.88kN , Q = 31.925kN
3. A 200lb object is held at rest on a smooth plane by a force R inclined at an angle θ with the plane
as shown below. If θ = 45o, determine the value of R and the normal pressure N exerted by the
plane.

Step 1: Create a Free Body Diagram.

Step 2: Solve the Problem.

∑F = 0

R∠135 + N∠-90 = 0 - 200∠60

R cos(135) + N cos(-90) = -100

R sin(135) + N sin(-90) = -173.21

Using the calculator, press the menu then A, then select Simultaneous equation and press 2, then
type in the 2 equations above to get the answer.

Answer:

R = 141.42lb, N = 273.21lb
CONCLUSION

The terms that are presented above are an important part of understanding the real world as
these are terms that can be used not just in engineering, but many more. If one were to be
knowledgeable of these terms, then they would have an easier time in computing for things that need
computing like how we can design floors, beams, and other rigid bodies to be durable and effective or
efficient as well as to know of what its maximum load is so that we can prevent any disasters which can
be prevented from happening like collapsing floors with people on top. These terms, just stated in the
previous statements, can not only be used in the engineering world like the construction of bridges,
buildings, and other structures but also in many more fields such as aviation wherein they use the terms
torque and center of gravity, rocket science where they use those two as well as coupling, how they can
compute for the force acting upon an object, especially when a spacecraft is reentering the atmosphere
under a prolonged period in a freefall state in space, and in simulations as well like in the game Kerbal
Space Program or even Kerbal Space Program 2 wherein physics like gravitational force, friction, torque,
moment arm, resultant force, center of gravity (known as the center of mass in-game), and equilibrium
has a play in how the player could design their crafts, structures, and other buildable objects. Indeed,
these things are important in the world we live in and understanding them would lead to a brighter and
better future by not just making our structures and other works more rigid, but safer for all to use.
References

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Define a rigid body. byju. (n.d.). https://byjus.com/question-answer/define-a-rigid-body/

Drawing free-body diagrams. The Physics Classroom. (n.d.).

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Equilibrium (n.d.). Encyclopædia Britannica.

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Moment arms, force vectors and a squat analysis — PT direct. (n.d.).

https://www.ptdirect.com/training-design/training-fundamentals/moment-arms-force-vectors-
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Moments (Mechanics). Numeracy, Maths and statistics - academic skills kit. (n.d.).
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http://web.mit.edu/4.441/1_lectures/1_lecture12/1_lecture12.html

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, April 29). Statics. Wikipedia.

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