Equilibrium: max distance traveled; undisturbed tension

AI Thread Summary
A daredevil's ability to walk along a suspended beam is analyzed, with a 20 kg wrecking ball at one end and a 70 kg man attempting to walk the beam without breaking a supporting cable. The maximum tension in the cable is 525 N, and calculations show that the man can walk 3.776 meters along the beam before exceeding this limit. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding forces and moments acting on the system, particularly the tension in the cable and the weight of the wrecking ball. Some participants express confusion over the terms used in the calculations and the overall approach to solving the problem. The conclusion confirms the maximum distance the man can safely walk along the beam.
Sociomath
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Hi,

I need some guidance on the following problem, please.
upload_2015-11-15_13-19-3.png

A daredevil attempts to walk the full length of suspended. A 20 kg wrecking ball hangs at the end of this uniform beam of length 4 m and mass 10 kg and is attached to a hinged wall at an angle of 53 degrees. A cable attached to the wall at an angle of 60 degrees is tied to the end of the beam and supports a maximum tension of 525 N.

How far along the beam can a man of 70 kg walk without the cable breaking?
(Apologies for the diagram-sketch.)

##Fgm = (\frac12)(4m)(\sin 37°)+ Fgm(x \cdot 4m)(\sin 37°) - F_{wall}(4m)(\sin 53°)##

##F_w =\displaystyle \frac{29.4889 + 412.8451x}{\sin 53°}##

##F_{net} = F_{wall} - F_t##
##F_{wall}- F_t = 0##
##F_{wall} - 525 N =0##
##F_{wall} = 525 N##

##x = \displaystyle \frac{419.265 - 29.4889}{412.8451} = 0.94412##

Finally, multiply 0.94412 by 4 m:
##0.94412 \cdot 4 = 3.776 m##Thanks in advance.
 

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What's the question?

In your solution you haven't said what you're doing. It's just a lot of undefined terms and some numbers.
 
PeroK said:
What's the question?

In your solution you haven't said what you're doing. It's just a lot of undefined terms and some numbers.

Thanks, PeroK.

How far along the beam can a man of weight 70 kg walk without the cable breaking?

##\displaystyle \tau_{pivot} = \tau_{cw} - \tau_{ccw}##
d = 4 m = length of beam

##0 = Fgm(\frac12 \cdot 4m) \sin 37° + Fgm(x \cdot 4m) \sin 37° - F_{wall} (4m) \sin 53°##
##F_{wall} (4m) \sin 53° = (9.8 m/s^2)(10 kg)(\frac12 \cdot 4m) \sin 37° +
((9.8 m/s^2)(70 kg)(x \cdot 4m) \sin 37°##

##F_{wall} \sin 53° = (9.8 m/s^2)(10 kg)(\frac12) \sin 37° +
((9.8 m/s^2)(70 kg)(x) \sin 37°##

##F_{wall} =\displaystyle \frac{29.4889 + 412.8451x}{\sin 53°} ...Eq(1) ##

Applying the translation equilibrium condition,
##F_{wall} - F_{T} = F_{net} x##
##F_{wall} - 525 N = 0##
##F_{wall} = 525 N##

Now, substituting ##F_{wall} = 525 N## into Eq(1),

## 525 N =\displaystyle \frac{29.4889 + 412.8451x}{\sin 53°}##

## x = \displaystyle \frac{419.265 - 29.4889}{412.8451} = 0.94412##

Finally, multiply 0.94412 by 4 m:
##0.94412 \cdot 4 = 3.776 m##
So a man of 70 kg can walk 3.776 meters along the beam before the cable breaks.
 
I can guess at some of the terms you're using and I can guess you're taking moments about the pivot. I don't see anything I can recognise as tension in the cable nor the influence of the 20kg mass.

I've no idea what F is.
 
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