Physics Help: Lifting a 200 lb Beam w/ Unequal Weight

[NoBodyKnows]

Not sure about this one, any help?

Two men want to carry a wooden beam weighing 200 lbs which is 20 feet long. Both men are equal height however one is stronger than the other and wishes to bear 50% more the weight. How far from the end of the beam should both of the men be to make this possible?

 

[Chi Meson]

That is a very easy problem. Do you really have no idea how to start? Let's see what you think first.

 

[kerimek]

I would approach this problem by first calculating the total weight that each man would have to carry in order to lift the 200 lb beam. Since one man is stronger and wishes to bear 50% more weight, he would have to carry 150 lbs while the other man would carry 100 lbs. This means that the total weight being lifted by both men is 250 lbs (150 lbs + 100 lbs).

Next, I would consider the center of mass of the beam. The center of mass is the point at which the weight of an object is evenly distributed. In this case, the center of mass of the beam would be at the 10-foot mark, since the beam is 20 feet long and the weight is evenly distributed.

To lift the beam, the two men would need to position themselves in such a way that their combined force would act at the center of mass. This can be achieved by placing the stronger man closer to the center of mass, at a distance of 6.67 feet from the end of the beam, and the weaker man at a distance of 13.33 feet from the end of the beam. This arrangement would allow the stronger man to bear 150 lbs and the weaker man to bear 100 lbs, thus achieving the desired 50% difference in weight.

In conclusion, by considering the total weight being lifted and the center of mass of the beam, the two men can lift the 200 lb beam by positioning themselves at a distance of 6.67 feet and 13.33 feet from the end of the beam, respectively.