STATIC PROBLEMS

A person holds a weight of 50 N in their hand with their forearm in a horizontal position.
The biceps muscle is fixed at 0.030 m from the joint, and the weight is at 0.350 m from the
same. Determine the upward force that the biceps exerts on the forearm (the ulna)
and the downward force on the forearm (the humerus) that acts at the joint. Not
One must take into account the weight of the forearm.
A person weighing 70 N is standing upright on a horizontal floor. Their
The center of gravity is located on the straight line that passes through the midpoint of the
distance between your feet, which is 30 cm, what are the forces that the floor exerts on
on his right foot and on his left foot?

Solution:
Applying the second condition of equilibrium,
we obtain:W = 70 kgf
RB × 30 cm = 70 kgf × 15 cm
15 cm 15cm
RB= 35kgf
Aplicando la primera condición de equilibrio,
30 cm
we haves: RB
RA

RA + RB = 70Kgf RA = 35 Kgf
Locate the center of gravity for a patient weighing 60 N and 1.65 m tall.
lying on a table. The scale located at the feet shows a reading of 23 N.
Also, how much is the contact force on your head?
With the forearm in a horizontal position, as shown in the figure, the hand exerts
a force of 88.2 N on the scale. Find the magnitudes of the forces Fm and Fc that
the triceps and the humerus exert on the forearm. Disregard the weight of the forearm.
Find the value of the force F that balances two forces F.1= 3.5 N yF2= 1.5 N, of different
sense, applied at the end of a 2 m long bar, as indicated in the
figure. Also, determine where the force Fy is applied and what its direction is. Note: se
It is advisable to take the axis of rotation where the force F is applied.

F1

2m

F2
Locate the center of gravity of the body in the figure, taking into account the posture it is adopting.
atleta. Datos: altura del atleta: 1.85 m; masa del atleta: 90 kg; masa de la cabeza (H): 5.5 kg;
masa del tronco (T): 44.5 kg; masa de las piernas (L): 27 kg. Los centros de gravedad son:H
(head),T(trunk),L(legs),A(head + trunk).
EST-1. What are the tensions?1yT2of the strings of the figure?

T2

8 kg

T1

3 kg
EST‐ 2. The figure represents a 70 kg man standing with the weights of different parts of
your body.

Answer the following questions:

a) What is the magnitude of the contact force that supports the head and neck?
b) What is the total force that supports the trunk at the two hip joints?
c) What is the total contact force in the knee joints?
d) If the man stands on one foot, what is the contact force of the joint?
the knee on which it is supported?
e) What is the force in the knee joint that supports the leg that does not
does it support on the ground?
1) a) The posterior and anterior parts of the deltoid muscle lift the arm by exerting
the forcesFp(4 N) yFa(6 N) as shown in the figure, what is the magnitude of the
total force on the arm and what angle does it form with the vertical?

A weight of 60 N is held in the hand forming the arm and the forearm a
angle of 90º, as shown in the figure. The biceps muscle exerts a
forceFmwhose address is 3.4 cm from the pivot point in the joint
elbow. Disregarding the weight of the arm and hand, (i) what is the magnitude of the
muscle strengthmif the distance from the weight to the pivot point O is 30 cm?; (ii)
determine the force exerted on the elbow joint, Fa, for the part
superior of the arm.
 y

From the figure:

Rx = 6 sin 40º - 4 sin 30º = 1.86 kp
6 kp
4 kp 6 cos 40º
Ry= 6 cos 40º + 4 cos 30º = 8.06 kp 4 cos 30º
Then: 30º 40 degrees

R Rx R2y 8.27kp

2 4 sin 30º 6 sin 40º
In addition:
θ
1.86kp R = 8.27 kp
tan
8.06 kg
13th
Rx= 1.86 kp
14. The weightlifter can generate a force of 3000 N. If he has
a lever with a force arm of 2 m and a resistance arm of 50 cm.

a. What is the maximum weight

Can you lift?
F = 3000 N F .d = R . r
R=?

d = 2 m.
r=
50cm

R = 12000 N
The following figure shows the situation of the quadriceps tendon as it passes through the
patella. The tension T of the tendon is 140 N, and it can be decomposed into two
equal tensions T1= 140 N yT2= 140 N, as shown in the figure. The
resultant tension TR(not drawn in the figure) of both tensions is at
equilibrium with the contact force FCexerted by the femur on the patella.

a) Draw the vector T qualitativelyR.

b) Calculate the magnitude of the force FC.

c) Calculate the direction of the force FC(that is, the value of the angle c).
16.- The figure shows the shape of the quadriceps tendon as it passes through the patella. If the tension T
The tendon is 140 kgf. What is the magnitude and direction of the contact force FC exerted by the?
femur over the patella?

Solution:

In this case, we first break down the forces into their

componentsxey, then we apply the equations of
balance . Y

T=140kgf
Fc

370 θ
X

800

T=140kgf

F F ∑ F(↑) = (↓)
∑F
(→) = ∑
1. Sum (←) 2.
Fcos θ140
= cos37º +140 cos80º Fsen θ140
= sin37º +140 sin80º
C C
Fcos θ = 136,12kgf Fsenθ = 53.62 kgf
C C

We divide 2 by 1: We replace in 1 and obtain:

tang θ = 53,62 kgf θ = 21.50 FC146.3 kgf

136.12 kgf
 17. A person weighing 70 kgf is standing upright on a floor.
horizontal. Its center of gravity is located at the straight line that passes through
the midpoint of the distance between your feet, which is 30 cm, what are the
forces, in kgf, that the floor exerts on your right foot and on your left foot?

Solution:

W = 70 kgf Applying the second condition of equilibrium, we obtain:

RB× 30 cm = 70 kgf × 15 cm
15 cm 15cm

RB35kgf

30 cm

RA RB Applying the first condition of equilibrium, we have:

RA+ RB 70Kgf RA= 35 Kgf

18. The wire brake shown in the figure has a tension T equal to 2N along it.
Therefore, exert forces of 2N on the teeth to which it is fixed, in both directions
As indicated. Calculate the resultant force on the tooth due to the brake.

Solution:

Since it is two forces that have the same point of origin, to calculate the

resultant is applied using the parallelogram method.

2N
1400 2N

Magnitude or modulus of the resultant:

R
 R = 2 √2 √2 2 2 cos 140º

Replacing Cos 1400- 0.766, and simplifying we obtain: R = 1.368N

19. Calculate the mass needed to support the leg shown in the figure. Assume
that the leg has a mass of 12 kg and that its center of gravity is 36 cm from
the hip joint. The sling is 80.5 cm from the hip joint.

Solution:

In this type of problems, the corresponding DCL is first done and then
apply the first and/or the second conditions of equilibrium.

To facilitate the drawing, the leg is being represented as a bar (see DCL)

mg (g)
) =∑τ(Schedules )
∑τ(Counterclockwise
80.5 cm
O Then:

36 cm
m(g) × 85.5 cm = 12kg(g) × 36 cm

c.g
12kg (g)
m = 5.37 kg
 What muscular strengthMmust exert the triceps on the forearm to hold a
weight ballP= 73 N as shown in the figure? Assuming that the forearm
and the hand has a weightP= 28 N and that its center of gravity (CG) is at 12 cm
from the elbow.

20. What muscle strength FM must exert the triceps over the forearm to hold a bullet.
of 7.3 kg as shown in the figure? Assume that the forearm and the hand have a
mass of 2.8 kg and its center of gravity is 12 cm from the elbow.
 Solution:
Se procede en forma similar a los problemas anteriores. Primero hacemos el DCL del
forearm and hand together, and then we apply torque equilibrium.
The forearm and hand are being drawn as a bar (see DCL)

c.g
73N For the 2nd condition of equilibrium:

2.5 cm
30 cm ) =∑τ(Schedules )
∑τ(Counterclockwise
Then:
12 cm

FM(2.5cm) = 28(12cm) + 73(30cm)

28N

We obtain: FM= 1010.4 N

FM
Fc

Another option:

Fm1 ∙ dm = R ∙ r

Fm2·dm = F·f

Fm1 = 0.12∙28/0.025 = 134.4 N

Fm2 = 0.3∙73/0.025 = 876 N

Fm total = Fm1 + Fm2 = 1010.4 N

Let's see a practical example. In a refrigerator that seals tightly, air is cooled to
atmospheric pressure from 20 ºC to 8 ºC. What difference in pressure appears between the
lower and outer enclosures of the refrigerator? The dimensions of the refrigerator door are:
Height 0.90 m and width 40 cm, the door handle is 5 cm from the edge. What force
What is the minimum force needed to open the door?

As the volume remains constant, it is an isochoric transformation, and the law holds true.
Gay-Lussac: P/V = constant.

Therefore: P/T = P0/T0

Being P0= 1 atm, T0= 293 K y T = 281 K.

Therefore: P = (T/T0)∙P0 0.96 atm

The pressure difference between the outside and the inside of the refrigerator is:

P = 1 0.96 = 0.04 atm

The force acting on the fridge door due to this pressure difference is:

F = S∙ P = 0.90 ∙ 0.40 ∙ 0.04 ∙ 1.013∙105N/m21.46 times 103N

Where we have taken into account that 1 atm = 1.013∙105N/m2

This force is applied at the center of the refrigerator door and produces a moment
regarding the axis around which the door rotates, whose value is M=F∙d, with d = width/2 =
0.40/2 = 0.20 m.

Therefore M = 1.46 ∙ 1030.20 = 2.92∙102N·m

This moment is the opposite of what should be done to open the door. If F' is the minimum force
What should be done when applied at a distance of 40 cm? 5 cm = 35 cm = 0.35 m from the axis of
turn, at that moment is: M' = F'∙0.35 = 2.92∙102N·m.

This is because the total moment with respect to the axis of rotation in the case of minimal force is zero.

this is, M = M' or M M' = 0. Therefore:

F' = 2.92∙1020.35 = 8.34 · 102N

If we keep our forearm in a horizontal position, as shown in the figure,
the biceps exerts an upward force of magnitude F, applied 4.0 cm from the axis of rotation
located at the elbow. This upward force from the biceps provides the torque (together
with the weight of the forearm) that keeps the forearm at rest.

If the forearm has a mass of 2.25 kg and the distance between the elbow and the tip of the
The length is 50 cm, calculate the force F.
A gymnast who is practicing the crucifix position on the rings is found in
resting with arms extended horizontally, holding each ring with one hand.
The rings are 1.66 m apart and the mass of the gymnast is 62.4 kg. Let's assume
there is symmetry, with the center of gravity of the gymnast in a vertical line
located halfway between both rings.

a) What is the upward force that each ring exerts on the gymnast's hand?
b) Show that the net moment with respect to each ring is zero, as required.
the balance of rotation.
The deltoid muscle raises the arm to a horizontal position. The muscle is fixed.
15 cm from the joint (point O) and forms an angle = 18° with the humerus.
Assuming that the weight of the arm is 40 N and that it can be applied entirely at the center.
of masses situated 35 cm from the joint, calculate the force R (of contact) that it exerts
the joint, the angle what joy the force forms with the humerus when the arm is
horizontal and the tension T (muscular force) exerted by the muscle.

T
15 cm

= 18º
O
O

P
R

35 cm
dT= 15 cm

dP= 35 cm
I am only interested in the vertical component of the Fm (that's why I multiply the magnitude by

the sine of the angle.