Calculating Mass of a Structural I-beam

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the mass of a structural I-beam made of steel, given its dimensions and density. The original poster presents a problem involving the geometry of the beam and the application of the density formula.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to find the mass by calculating the volume of the beam and adjusting for a missing section. Some participants question the specific dimensions of the beam's flanges and web, suggesting that these are necessary for accurate calculations. Others propose calculating the cross-sectional area to simplify the mass determination.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring various interpretations of the beam's dimensions and their implications for calculating mass. Guidance has been offered regarding the importance of the cross-sectional area, but there is no clear consensus on how to proceed without additional information about the beam's features.

Contextual Notes

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Homework Statement



A structural I-beam is made of steel. L = 12.1 cm, H = 32.0 cm and the width of the beam is W = 1.11 cm. What is the mass of a section 1.75 m long? The density of steel is 7.56E+3 kg/m3.

Homework Equations


d=m/v


The Attempt at a Solution



I can't copy the image of the i-beam here.. but, as you might expect, it resembles an i. I found the volume of the total beam, and subtracted from it the volume of the missing section. Then I converted cubic cm to cubic metres and multiplied by the density of steel. Then I found the ratio of length 1.75m to 12.1 cm and multiplied that by my newfound mass.. something is wrong, though.

mass= (7.56e3kg/m^3)((12.1*1.11*32.0-10.99*1.11*29.78)cm^3)(10^-2m/cm)^3/(0.121m)=7.275 kg. Thanks in advance.
 
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If you can't copy the image, try to describe the section.

1. What is the depth of the beam, from top of the top flange to the bottom of the bottom flange?
2. What is the width of the flange?
3. What is the thickness of the flange?
4. What is the thickness of the web (the bit connecting the two flanges)?

OTOH, if you calculate the cross sectional area of the beam, then the volume will be L*Area, and from this you can find the mass of the beam.
 
The flange and web are unknown to me. How do I calculate the cross sectional area of the beam?
 
If the flange and web are unknown, how do you expect to calculate the mass of the beam? The dimensions given in the OP must refer to some of the features of the beam.
 

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