A uniform 2.0 m wooden beam of mass 5.0 kg rests horizontally
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A uniform 2.0 m wooden beam of mass 5.0 kg rests horizontally. Its left end is attached to a frictionless hinge on a wall. To keep the beam from rotating, an adjustable support exerts an unknown vertical upward force Fs at a point that is 1.5 m from the hinge. In addition, a bucket of paint supplies a downward force of 20 N at the free (right) end of the beam.
Neglect the thickness of the beam, and treat all forces as acting perpendicular to the beam.
(a) Draw and label a clear free-body diagram of the beam that shows all forces acting on it, including their approximate points of application.
(b) Using an axis of your choice, determine the magnitude of the support force Fs that keeps the beam in static equilibrium. Show all mathematical steps and include appropriate units.
(c) Calculate the horizontal and vertical components of the force exerted by the hinge on the beam. State the direction of each component.