Help:Equilibrium & Angular Momentum

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The discussion focuses on two physics problems involving equilibrium and angular momentum. The first problem calculates the force acting on a wedge supporting a plank with a mass of 2.5 kg and a 0.2 kg mass placed on it, where the calculated force was 16.73 Newtons, but the correct answer is 1.71 Newtons. The second problem involves calculating the angular momentum of the Earth, where the calculated value was 7.050E+33 Joule.Seconds, while the correct answer is 6.970E+33. The discrepancies in both calculations highlight the importance of careful application of torque and angular momentum formulas.

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buffgilville
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1) A plank of mass 2.5 kg and length 2 meters is resting horizontally on two wedges. The first is at one of the ends and the other is a distance 0.3 meters from the second end. If a mass of 0.2 kg is placed on this second edge, what is the force (in Newtons) acting on the second wedge.

Here's what I did:
T1=F1(0) = 0
T2=F2(1.7)
T(mass)=-(0.2*9.81*2) = -3.924
T(plank)=-(2.5*9.81*(2/2)) = -24.525
sum of torque = F1(0) + F2(1.7) - 3.924 - 24.525 = 0
so, F2=16.73 Newtons
but the correct answer is 1.71 Newtons. Where did I go wrong?

2) The mass of the Earth is 6.0E24 kg and its radius is 3950 miles. Assuming that the Earth is a uniform sphere, its angular momentum (in Joule. Secs) is aE+33 where a is?

I = (2/5) MR^2 ---> (2/5)(6.0E24)(6355550meters)^2 = 9.694E37

L = Iw ---> (9.694E37)((2pi)/86400) = 7.0499E33
which makes a=7.050
but the correct answer is 6.970. (I did not round anything either.) What did I do wrong? Please help. Thanks!
 
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Is there anyone that can help me with these two problems? :frown:
 
All your workings looks fine. I don't know why you couldn't get the answer. Are you sure you were looking at the correct answer?
 
I'm sure the answers that I got were wrong because I worked out other similar problems (same problem but with different numbers) with the same method and still got it wrong.
 
I see nothing wrong with your method or your answers.
 

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