Finding reaction components and resultant reaction

[leonheart]

Homework Statement

A 12 m long uniform ladder, weighing 285 N, leans against the wall. The foot of the ladder is 6.5 m away from the wall. Determine the reaction components and the resultant reaction(magnitude & direction) if the coefficient of friction for static at the wall and the floor are 0.40 and 0.52 respectively.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

our prof. didn't tell us what is reaction components and resultant reaction so I can't start answering...

 

[SteamKing]

Did your professor tell you how to find the components of a vector?

Did your professor tell you what constitutes static equilibrium?

Do you have a textbook where some of these terms might be discussed?

 

[leonheart]

Did your professor tell you how to find the components of a vector?

Did your professor tell you what constitutes static equilibrium?

Do you have a textbook where some of these terms might be discussed?

yes...she taught us the components of a vector...regarding about the book...we only have a book about torque and there's no reaction components and the resultant reaction...

 

[SteamKing]

yes...she taught us the components of a vector...regarding about the book...we only have a book about torque and there's no reaction components and the resultant reaction...

It's not clear what a book about torque is. Torque does not require a book-length treatment; it can be discussed fully in at most a chapter of a book.

Nevertheless, what about static equilibrium? What do you know about that? Have you ever made a free body diagram?

 

[leonheart]

It's not clear what a book about torque is. Torque does not require a book-length treatment; it can be discussed fully in at most a chapter of a book.

Nevertheless, what about static equilibrium? What do you know about that? Have you ever made a free body diagram?

yes...I have a free body diagram...but I can't solve it because I don't know what to solve...

 

[SteamKing]

yes...I have a free body diagram...but I can't solve it because I don't know what to solve...

Well, you have a ladder leaning against a wall.

What keeps the ladder in your free body from tipping over? You are also told that there is friction due to the contact of the ladder with the wall. What determines how much friction is developed by the wall?

A similar situation applies to the floor. What keeps the ladder from falling thru the floor? What about friction between the ladder and the floor?

 

[leonheart]

FBD

 

[leonheart]

there's a number below the arrow...its...285N

 

[leonheart]

the question above is all I have...