Equilibrium and Elasticity

Chapter 11
Reference: University Physics, 13th Edition by H. Young and R.
Freedman
Introduction
• Various structures like bridges, aqueducts, and ladders are engineered
to maintain a state of non-acceleration.
• However, it's important to note that actual materials are not perfectly
rigid; they possess elasticity and undergo deformation to a certain
degree.
• To comprehend the deformation of real bodies, we will delve into
concepts such as stress and strain.
Condition for Equilibrium
• First Condition: The net external force acting on the body is zero
(Newton’s First Law)

in component form:
Condition for Equilibrium
• Second Condition: The net external torque acting on the body about
any given point is equal to zero:
Condition for Equilibrium

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman

Center of gravity
• We can consider the weight of a
body as if it were concentrated
at a single point known as the
center of gravity

• If we the changes in gravity

with altitude is negligible, then
the center of gravity coincides
with the center of mass

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Center of Mass
Gravitational Torque on a body of
arbitrary shape

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman

Gravitational Torque on a body of
arbitrary shape

Image Credit: University Physics,

13th Edition by H. Young and R.
Freedman
Gravitational Torque on a body of
arbitrary shape

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th Edition by H. Young and R.

Freedman
Gravitational Torque on a body of
arbitrary shape

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman

Gravitational Torque on a body of
arbitrary shape
Gravitational Torque on a body of
arbitrary shape
Gravitational Torque on a body of
arbitrary shape
Example 11.1 – Walking the plank
A uniform plank of length L=6.0 m and mass M = 90 kg rests on
sawhorses separated by D = 1.5 m and equidistant from the center of the
plank. Cousin Throckmorton wants to stand on the right-hand end of the
plank. If the plank is to remain at rest, how massive can Throckmorton
be?

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Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman
Example 11.1 – Walking the plank
Identify and Set-up:
• To just balance, the center of gravity plank-Throckmorton system must
be at point S (right-hand sawhorse).
• We chose the origin at point C (geometric center of the plank).

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th

Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman
Example 11.1 – Walking the plank
Identify and Set-up:
Therefore, the we have the following positions:
(center of gravity of the plank)
(center of gravity of Throckmorton)
(the desired center of gravity of plank-
Throckmorton system which is at the right-hand sawhorse)

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th

Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman
Example 11.1 – Walking the plank
Using the definition of center of gravity:

Since, we set Then

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th

Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman
Example 11.1 – Walking the plank
As a check, let’s repeat the calculation with origin
at the right-hand horses. In this case, , , and

The result does not depend on our choice of origin

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th

Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman
Solving rigid-body equilibrium problems
 Example 11.2: Weight Distribution of a Car
An auto magazine reports that a
certain sports car has 53% of its
weight on the front wheels and
47% on its rear wheels. (That is,
the total normal forces on the front
and rear wheels are 0.53w and
0.47w, respectively, where w is the
car’s weight.) The distance
between the axles is 2.46 m. How
far in front of the rear axle is the
car’s center of gravity?

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 Example 11.2: Weight Distribution of a Car
The first condition and second condition are satisfied
because both and . Therefore,

and the sum of torque about point R (chosen as pivot

point):

The center of gravity is 1.30 m to the right of point R.

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 Example 11.2: Weight Distribution of a Car
You can also check that when taking the sum of
torques about point F, the result will be the same.

The center of gravity is 1.16 m to the left from point

F which is the same as 1.30 m to the right of point R.

Image Credit: University Physics, 13th Edition by H. Young and R. Freedman

Example 11.3 Will the ladder slip?

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Example 11.3 Will the ladder slip?
a.) The Ladder-Lancelot system is stationary, i.e., .
Therefore, the two condition of equilibrium is satisfied.
We will solve this problem using this physical condition.
For the first condition, we have:

To obtain a third equation, we use the second condition.

The sum of torques about point B.:

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13th Edition by H. Young and R.
Freedman
Example 11.3 Will the ladder slip?
(b) The static friction can’t exceed . Therefore, the minimum
coefficient of static friction to prevent slipping is:
Example 11.3 Will the ladder slip?
(c) The components of the contact force
at the base are the static friction force
and the normal force so

The magnitude and direction of are

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13th Edition by H. Young and R.
Freedman
Strain, stress, and elastic moduli
• Manipulating a real body by stretching, compressing, or twisting leads
to its deformation. Our focus will be on understanding how forces
relate to these deformations.
• Stress represents the force exerted per unit area, while strain signifies
the fractional deformation resulting from stress. The Elastic modulus
is defined as stress divided by strain.
• The proportionality of stress and strain is called Hooke’s law.
Tensile and compressive stress and strain
• Tensile stress = F /A (Pa=N/m2) and tensile strain = l/l0. Compressive
stress and compressive strain are defined in a similar way.
• Young’s modulus is tensile stress divided by tensile strain, and is given
by Y = (F/A)(l0/l).

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University Physics,
13th Edition by H.
Young and R.
Freedman
Some values of elastic moduli
Example 11.5 Tensile stress and strain
A steel rod 2.0 m long has cross-sectional area of 0.30 cm 2 . It is hung by
one end from a support, and a 550-kg milling machine is hung from its
other end. Determine the stress on the rod and the resulting strain and
elongation.
 Bulk stress and strain
• Pressure in a fluid is force per unit area: p
= F/A.
• Bulk stress is pressure change p and bulk
strain is fractional volume change V/V0.
(See Figure 11.16.)
• Bulk modulus is bulk stress divided by
bulk strain and is given by B =
–p/(V/V0).
• Follow Example 11.6.

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Young and R. Freedman
 Sheer stress and strain
• Sheer stress is F||/A and sheer strain
is x/h, as shown in Figure 11.17.
• Sheer modulus is sheer stress
divided by sheer strain, and is given
by S = (F||/A)(h/x).

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Young and R. Freedman
Example 11.7 Shear stress and strain
Suppose a brass base plate of an outdoor sculpture that experiences
shear forces in an earthquake. The plate is 0.80 m square and 0.50 cm
thick. What is the force exerted on each of its edges if the resulting
displacement x is 0.16 mm?
Elasticity and plasticity
• Hooke’s law is applicable up to point a in the Figure below.
• Table 11.3 are some approximate breaking stresses (The stress required to cause actual
fracture on a material). of different materials.
Elasticity and plasticity
• If Hooke’s law is obeyed, the graph is a
straight line with a slope equal to Young’s
modulus.
• If the load is gradually removed, starting at
any point between O and b, the curve is
retraced until the material returns to its
original length. The deformation is
reversible, and the forces are conservative;
the energy put into the material to cause the
deformation is recovered when the stress is
removed.
• In region Ob we say that the material shows
elastic behavior. Point b, the end of this
region, is called the yield point; the stress at
the yield point is called the elastic limit.