Calculating Forces Acting on a 50m Bridge with Two Supports: A Torque Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter kc0ldeah
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Torque
AI Thread Summary
A 50-meter bridge with a mass of 80,000 kg and a truck weighing 30,000 kg positioned 15 meters from one support is analyzed for forces at both ends. Calculations indicate that the force at the support closer to the truck (F_a) should be 598,000 N and the force at the other support (F_b) is 480,000 N. The torque equations used involve the distances from the supports and the weights of the bridge and truck. The user is seeking clarification on their calculations, as they arrived at different values for the forces. The discussion emphasizes the importance of correctly applying torque and force balance equations in static equilibrium problems.
kc0ldeah
Messages
12
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


http://imgur.com/BqIoe

There is a 50 meter bridge with two supports. The bridge has a mass of 80000kg. A truck of 30000 kg is 15m from one of the supports. What are the forces acting on the ends of the bridge?

Answers in back are F_a(support closer to truck): 598000 N and F_b: 480000 N

Homework Equations


torque = Force_perpendicular * distance

center of mass for uniform object is center of geometry

The Attempt at a Solution


Sum of Forces in y direction on bridge: = -80000g - 30000g + Fn A + Fn B = 0

Torque @ A = -15(30000) - 25(80000) + 50*Fn B = 0
Fn B = 490000

Torque @ A = 35(30000) + 25(80000) - 50*Fn A = 0
Fn A = 305000

What am I doing wrong? Any help is appreciated.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Bump? Anyone?
 
I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top