Horizontal Force on a Gate Hinge?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the horizontal force exerted by the top hinge of a door in equilibrium, which has a mass of 10.5 kg and a width of 1.1 m, with hinges spaced 0.7 m apart. The vertical forces are balanced, with each hinge providing equal upward force, but the horizontal forces remain unclear to the participants. The center of mass and torque considerations are crucial for determining the horizontal force, particularly the torque on the bottom hinge, which influences the overall force distribution.

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  • Understanding of static equilibrium principles
  • Knowledge of torque and force balance
  • Familiarity with free-body diagrams
  • Basic physics concepts related to mass and gravitational force
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  • Study the concept of torque in static systems
  • Learn how to construct and analyze free-body diagrams
  • Explore the principles of force balance in mechanical systems
  • Investigate the effects of center of mass on force distribution
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Physics students, mechanical engineers, and anyone involved in structural analysis or door mechanism design will benefit from this discussion.

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A door is attached to a frame by two hinges and is at equilibrium. All forces and torques are therefore balanced.

The door has a mass of 10.5kg, a width of 1.1m, and the two hinges are 0.7m apart.
Find the direction and magnitude of the horizontal force applied to the door by the top hinge?


I think I've got the vertical component of the forces sorted. The downward gravitational force on the door must be equal to the upward force provided by the hinges, with each hinge presumably supplying equal force. As for the horizontal forces, I'm at a loss.

I'd appreciate a detailed response so I can answer variations on this question in the future. Thanks for your time!
 
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Think about where the centre of mass of the door is, and think why they wrote "All forces and torques are therefore balanced."
 
I'm afraid I've already factored the center of mass into an extended free-body diagram and am still left scratching my head.
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I'm just not sure how to derive horizontal component forces from the system.
I understand that upwards force must equal downwards force:

m.g = V1 + V2 where V is the upwards force supplied by each hinge.

But when it comes to the horizontal aspect, I'm at a loss...
 
Think about the torque on the bottom hinge.
 

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