Equilibrium: max distance traveled; undisturbed tension

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving equilibrium, specifically related to forces acting on a beam with a suspended wrecking ball and a person walking along it. The scenario includes various weights, angles, and tension in a supporting cable.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are attempting to analyze the forces and moments acting on the beam, questioning the definitions and terms used in the original post. There is a focus on understanding the equilibrium conditions and the role of tension in the cable.

Discussion Status

Some participants are seeking clarification on the original poster's approach and the definitions of terms used in their calculations. There is an ongoing exploration of the problem setup, with no clear consensus on the interpretation of the forces involved.

Contextual Notes

There are indications of missing definitions and unclear terms in the original post, which may affect the understanding of the problem. Participants are questioning the influence of the wrecking ball's weight and the tension in the cable, suggesting that these factors need further clarification.

Sociomath
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Missing template due to originally being posted in a different forum.
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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