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2 Examples of Static Equilibrium | University Physics Volume 1

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Repeat (Figure) assuming that the forearm is an object of

uniform density that weighs 8.896 N.
Show Solution

EXAMPLE

A Ladder Resting Against a Wall

A uniform ladder is L = 5.0 m long and weighs 400.0 N. The

ladder rests against a slippery vertical wall, as shown in
(Figure). The inclination angle between the ladder and the
rough floor is β = 53°. Find the reaction forces from the floor
and from the wall on the ladder and the coefficient of static
friction μ at the interface of the ladder with the floor that pre-
s

vents the ladder from slipping.

Figure 12.14 A 5.0-m-long ladder rests

against a frictionless wall.

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Strategy

We can identify four forces acting on the ladder. The first force
is the normal reaction force N from the floor in the upward ver-
tical direction. The second force is the static friction force
f = μ N
s
directed horizontally along the floor toward the wall
—this force prevents the ladder from slipping. These two
forces act on the ladder at its contact point with the floor. The
third force is the weight w of the ladder, attached at its CM lo-
cated midway between its ends. The fourth force is the normal
reaction force F from the wall in the horizontal direction away
from the wall, attached at the contact point with the wall. There
are no other forces because the wall is slippery, which means
there is no friction between the wall and the ladder. Based on
this analysis, we adopt the frame of reference with the y-axis in
the vertical direction (parallel to the wall) and the x-axis in the
horizontal direction (parallel to the floor). In this frame, each
force has either a horizontal component or a vertical compo-
nent but not both, which simplifies the solution. We select the
pivot at the contact point with the floor. In the free-body dia-
gram for the ladder, we indicate the pivot, all four forces and
their lever arms, and the angles between lever arms and the
forces, as shown in (Figure). With our choice of the pivot loca-
tion, there is no torque either from the normal reaction force N
or from the static friction f because they both act at the pivot.

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Figure 12.15 Free-body diagram for a ladder resting against

a frictionless wall.

Solution

From the free-body diagram, the net force in the x-direction is

+f − F = 0

the net force in the y-direction is

+N − w = 0

and the net torque along the rotation axis at the pivot point is
τw + τF = 0.

where τ is the torque of the weight w and τ is the torque of

w F

the reaction F. From the free-body diagram, we identify that

the lever arm of the reaction at the wall is r F = L = 5.0 m and
the lever arm of the weight is r w = L / 2 = 2.5 m. With the
help of the free-body diagram, we identify the angles to be
used in (Figure) for torques: θ F = 180° − β for the torque

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from the reaction force with the wall, and

θw = 180° + (90° − β) for the torque due to the weight. Now
we are ready to use (Figure) to compute torques:
L
τw = rw w sin θw = rw w sin(180° + 90° − β) = − w sin(90° − β)
2

τF = rF F sin θF = rF F sin(180° − β) = LF sin β.

We substitute the torques into (Figure) and solve for F :

L
− w cos β + LF sin β = 0
2

w 400.0 N
F = cot β = cot 53° = 150.7 N
2 2

We obtain the normal reaction force with the floor by solving

(Figure): N = w = 400.0 N. The magnitude of friction is ob-
tained by solving (Figure): f = F = 150.7 N. The coefficient
of static friction is μ s
= f / N = 150.7 / 400.0 = 0.377.

The net force on the ladder at the contact point with the floor
is the vector sum of the normal reaction from the floor and the
static friction forces:
→
F floor
→ → ^ ^ ^
= f + N = (150.7 N)(− i ) + (400.0 N)(+ j) = (−150.7 i +

Its magnitude is

2 2 2 2
Ffloor = √f + N = √150.7 + 400.0 N = 427.4 N

and its direction is

−1 −1
ϕ = tan (N / f ) = tan (400.0 / 150.7) = 69.3° above the floor

We should emphasize here two general observations of practi-

cal use. First, notice that when we choose a pivot point, there
is no expectation that the system will actually pivot around the
chosen point. The ladder in this example is not rotating at all
but firmly stands on the floor; nonetheless, its contact point
with the floor is a good choice for the pivot. Second, notice
when we use (Figure) for the computation of individual
torques, we do not need to resolve the forces into their normal
and parallel components with respect to the direction of the
lever arm, and we do not need to consider a sense of the
torque. As long as the angle in (Figure) is correctly identified—

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with the help of a free-body diagram—as the angle measured

counterclockwise from the direction of the lever arm to the di-
rection of the force vector, (Figure) gives both the magnitude
and the sense of the torque. This is because torque is the vec-
tor product of the lever-arm vector crossed with the force vec-
tor, and (Figure) expresses the rectangular component of this
vector product along the axis of rotation.

Significance

This result is independent of the length of the ladder because

L is cancelled in the second equilibrium condition, (Figure). No
matter how long or short the ladder is, as long as its weight is
400 N and the angle with the floor is 53°, our results hold. But
the ladder will slip if the net torque becomes negative in
(Figure). This happens for some angles when the coefficient of
static friction is not great enough to prevent the ladder from
slipping.

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

For the situation described in (Figure), determine the val-

ues of the coefficient μ of static friction for which the lad-
s

der starts slipping, given that β is the angle that the ladder
makes with the floor.
Show Solution

EXAMPLE

Forces on Door Hinges

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