T. C.

MALTEPE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND NATURAL SCIENCES

PHYSICS I (PHYS 183)

LABORATORY MANUAL

FORCE TABLE

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 Name of the Experiment: Force Table

To study Newton's first and second laws and to verify the

Apparatus: Force Table with 4 Pulleys, Set of Hanging Masses (4 X 10g, 4 X

[Link]
Force

A force can be considered as a push or pull. The force can be also defined as an action capable of giving
rise to acceleration. When an object is either at rest or moving with constant velocity, we can say that the
object is in equilibrium. Equilibrium is the property of any object experiencing no acceleration. For an
object to be in equilibrium, it must be acted on by no force or by several forces such that their vector sum
(that is, the net force) is zero;

(1)

From Newton's second law of motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force
acting on it and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. The direction of the acceleration is in the
direction of the net force on the object;

(2)

As you know, net force means the sum of all forces acting on the object. If the net force is not equal zero
we can say that the object is not in equilibrium. If the net force on an object is equal to zero (that is, no
net push or pull), the object will not experience an acceleration. This is the condition required for
equilibrium. Thus, if a body is at rest and if no net force acts on it, that body will remain at rest. This is how
you will test for equilibrium.

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II. A short summary of the experiment:

Figure-1: Four forces acting on a ring of the force table (a) and free-body diagram showing all the forces (force vectors)
on the ring (b). Here, the ring is the free body and the diagram shows the forces acting on it.

In this experiment a horizontal circular force table is used to apply four forces to a ring (body) so that the
ring is in static equilibrium. Figure-(1a) is a diagram of the force table showing the ring (body) in equilibrium
when four forces are applied by the hanging masses from strings. Each string passes over a pulley at the
edge of the table and has a mass holder attached to the end of the string. The tensions in the strings
provide the forces acting on a small ring at the center of the table.

Each of the strings attached to the ring on the table will represent a tension that is pulling on the ring. The
table for 4 forces is adjusted so that the ring under the tension of the forces is in equilibrium in the center
of the table. One of the strings is along the 00 line and we call this the positive x-axis. Each force on the
ring is directly proportional to the total mass (M) hanging on the string since w=Mg . We can assume that
the ring can be represented as a point particle. So, it is very important to draw a two-dimensional free
body diagram showing all the forces acting on the ring of the force table (see Figure-1b).

• The forces acting on the ring are the tensions in the strings. When the ring is in equilibrium, the tension
in each string is equal to the weight (w=Mg) of the hanging masses including the mass of the hanger (that
is, the tension F=Mg).
• The direction of each force exerted by the string can be read from the angle marking on the table.
• Each force vector is oriented along one of the strings attached to hanging masses.
• The length of each force vector is drawn proportional to the magnitude of the force exerted by the
corresponding string.

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When several forces act on the body, the effect on its motion is the same as when a single force which is
equal to the vector sum (resultant) of the forces, acts on the body. Mathematically, this is represented as;

𝐹⃗ = ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹1 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹2 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹3 + ⋯ = 0 (3)

Thus, if all forces are resolved into components, the expression for the condition of equilibrium can be
rewritten as;

⃗⃗⃗⃗𝑥 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
Σ𝐹 𝐹1𝑥 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹2𝑥 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹3𝑥 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹4𝑥 = 0 (4)

⃗⃗⃗⃗
Σ𝐹 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑦 = 𝐹1𝑦 + 𝐹2𝑦 + 𝐹3𝑦 + 𝐹4𝑦 = 0 (5)

• The SUM of the -components of the four forces acting on the ring must be ZERO and independently the
SUM of the y-components must be also equal ZERO.
• Some of the x and y components of the four forces must be positive and some negative such that their
sum is ZERO.

III. Experimental Set-up

This experiment will be performed using a force table, (see Figure-2). This is a circular table and has four
pulleys around the circumference that can be moved. There are markings around the circumference of the
table that give the angular positions of the pulleys. There is also a centering pin that is inserted in the
middle of the force table.

• The magnitude of the force associated with a hanging mass is its weight.

• Total mass (M) hanging over the pulley must include the mass of the hanger. The force caused by the
total mass (M) hanging over the pulley is found by multiplying the total mass (including the mass of the
hanger) by the acceleration due to gravity (g).

• The direction of this force on the center ring is outward from the center toward the pulley and can be
determined from the angle scale on the edge of the force table.

The ring should be centered on the force table to be in equilibrium, but for this experiment it is sufficient
as long as it is not touching the center pin. To keep the ring in equilibrium, the magnitude of the hanging
masses (weight) can be changed and positions of the pulleys can be adjusted around the force table. If the
center ring (while not touching the center pin) is in the exact center of the table, then the sum of the forces
from the suspended masses is zero. When the forces are in balance such that the net force is zero, then
the ring will be centered around the pin (that is, the ring is at equilibrium).

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Figure-2: Schematic top view of the experimental set-up (a) and side view of the set-up for only one pulley (b).
Masses are suspended by strings over the pulleys and thus the tension in the each string exerts a force on the center
ring.

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IV. Experimental Procedures

1. Set up the force table for four pulleys as shown in the Figure-(2).
1.1. Set each pulley at 00, 900, 1800 and 2700 angular positions, respectively, and add m=20 g (the same
amount of mass) to each mass hanger.
1.2. Choose zero degree (00) to be the +x axis and 900 to be the +y axis.
1.3. There should be a string passing from each pulley. One end of each string is attached to the ring
and the other end to a mass hanger. In this experiment the mass of the mass hanger is; mh=5 g.
*** Total mass (M) should include the mass of the hanger which is always 5g .
1.4. Verify that the centering pin passes through the ring. At this point, the ring should be perfectly
centered on the force table.
1.5. Before the experiment, it is necessary to level the force table. You can level the table by adjusting
the height of the feet at the base of the table.
***The forces acting on the ring have directions as well as magnitudes. The magnitude of the force
associated with a suspended mass is its weight. For example, a force acting on the ring due to the
weight of a 50g mass hanging from the pulley aligned at the 0° angular position can be represented
by a 5 cm long arrow drawn along the positive x-axis. The direction of this force on the center ring is
outward from the center toward the pulley and can be read from the angle scale (in degrees) on the
edge of the force table.

2. Forces are applied to the center ring by adding masses (m) to the mass hanger.

2.1. Each force is applied over a separate pulley by the weight of the masses hanging on the ends of
the string which passes over the pulley.
2.2. Add the same amount of mass to each mass hanger and adjust the positions of the pulleys until
the ring does not touch the centering pin and it is in the center of the force table.
2.3. The ring is positioned at the center of the table when the four forces acting on the ring are
balanced (in a state of static equilibrium). To verify equilibrium has been achieved, pull the ring to the
side so it is touching the center pin. When released, the ring will be again centered on the force table.
2.4. Calculate the TOTAL mass (M) hanging from the each pulley (including the mass of hanger).
2.5. Multiply each total mass (hanger mass+ the added mass) by the acceleration of gravity “g” to find
the magnitude of the each force on the ring.
2.6. What are the tensions on each of the four strings in the equilibrium condition?. Are they
perpendicular to each other? Record the tension in the each string as F1, F2, F3, F4 and in the Table-(1).
2.8. Also, measure and record the respective angular positions of the four pulleys as Ɵ1 , Ɵ2, Ɵ3, Ɵ4 and
in degrees. The angle will always be measured with zero pointing along the positive x-axis and
increasing in a counter-clockwise direction.

3. Draw a free-body diagram for the center ring and the four forces acting on it in order to show the
sum of the four applied forces on the ring is zero;
3.1. Note that the ring can be represented as a point particle and thus the diagram should show all the
forces on it.
3.2. Each force vector is oriented along one of the strings.
3.3. The length of each vector is drawn proportional to the magnitude of the force applied by the
corresponding string.

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3.4. Choose y-axis to be vertical with positive upward and x-axis horizontal to the right.
3.5. Remember that if the system is in equilibrium, the sum of the x-components and the sum of the
y-components are separately zero.
3.6. A sample free-body diagram showing the four forces acting on the ring in static equilibrium is given
below;

***For a given force, the magnitude is given by w = Mg and the direction is along the string direction.

4. Now, resolve the four forces (force vectors) into their x- and y-components.
4.1. Resolve each of the four forces into x- and y- components by using;
Fx=FcosƟ
Fy=FsinƟ
4.2. If the vector SUM of the four forces acting on the ring is zero, then both the x – and y–
COMPONENTS of the NET force are separately zero.
4.2.1. Add all the x- components together and then add all the y- components together.
4.2.2. Verify that the SUM of the forces acting on the ring is zero. For this, check separately to see
whether both sums are zero or not. This is how you verify the equilibrium condition.
4.2.3. How does the net force (vector sum) compare to what you expect it to be? How is the tension
of the string related to the mass? Explain.
4.3. From the components and of the NET force, determine also the magnitude and direction of the
vector SUM of the four forces (that is, magnitude and direction of the NET force).
4.3.1. What is the magnitude of the NET force on the ring?. Does this result agree with what you
expected?
4.3.2. Ideally, you should have no net force acting on the ring.
4.3.3. If it is not, discuss possible errors in your measurements of the forces acting on the ring.

5. Now, load the mass hangers with unequal masses to apply four forces to the central ring with
different magnitudes and directions.
5.1. You will find a new configuration for equilibrium of the forces. Before changing the configuration,
remove all added masses from the hangers.
5.2. Position one of the strings along the 00 line (that is, one pulley) to apply a force at an angle of 00.
5.2.1. Call this the positive x-axis.
5.2.2. Call the force exerted by the string along the 00 line that runs through this pulley F1.
5.3. The force, F1 will be fixed along the positive x- axis (one of the pulleys is at the angle 00 ) while the
F2, F3, and F4 will be adjusted until equilibrium is reached
5.4. Add masses to the mass hanger and adjust the positions of the pulleys until the ring does not touch
the centering pin and it is in the exact center of the table. To investigate the equilibrium of the ring at
rest, you have to vary both the position of the pulley and the amount of the mass used.

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6. Record the total mass hanging from each string and the angular position of the corresponding pulleys
when the ring is in equilibrium in the center of the table.
6.1. Calculate and record the tension in the each string as F1,F2 F3, and F4 in the Table-(4).
6.2. Record the respective angular positions of the four pulleys as Ɵ1, Ɵ2, Ɵ3 and Ɵ4 in degrees. The
angle will always be measured with zero pointing along the positive x-axis.

7. Draw a free-body diagram for the center ring and the four suspended masses (so, four forces) when
the system is in equilibrium.

7.1. Represent each of the force vectors acting on the ring and the corresponding angles (Ɵ). The figure
below gives an example of the free body diagram showing four forces acting on the ring;

***In the free-body diagram, each force vector is oriented along the string direction. The length of
each vector is drawn proportional to the magnitude of the force exerted by the corresponding string.
The angle is measured with the zero pointing along the positive -axis and increasing in a counter-
clockwise direction.

7.2. Now, resolve the four forces into its horizontal (x) and vertical (y) components;
7.2.1. Calculate the x components of the four force vectors on the ring and see how close their sum is
to zero;
7.2.2. Do the same for the y components of the forces acting on the ring;
These are the x- and y-components of the NET force, (that is, the components of the vector SUM of
the forces on the ring).
7.3. You must remember that if a particular force component points along the negative or axis, it must
have a negative sign.

8. For the condition of equilibrium, the sum of the x-components of all the forces acting on the ring
must be ZERO, and independently the sum of the y- components must be ZERO. In other words, both
summations must be equal to zero.
8.1. By adding the components of the individual forces, find the NET force on the center ring in static
equilibrium. Show all of your work clearly.
8.2. Repeat the experiment with different forces and angles (different magnitudes and directions).