Should We Make Free Body Diagrams Mandatory for Student Help Requests?

[amt]

Seems like everyone student requesting help here fails to show a drawing of a free body diagram for all static/dynamic problems. Perhaps this should be made mandatory. A free body diagram is the first step to solving problems. This will also help them develop good problem solving skills.

 

[abercrombiems02]

That's not a bad idea, but not everyone has a scanner, and it can be a hassle to do if someone doesn't know how to some basic CG. I often find MS paint to be way too messy when constructing an FBD. Actually, if anyone knows of any good programs for drawing FBDs, unit vector triads, or even simple schematics of rods, springs, dampers, and the like let me know. Photoshopping all of these is overkill, granted the drawings look nice, but they take WAY too long to do. CATIA would be nice for rigid bodies, but I don't have a license for it :(

 

[amt]

Well that's now what I meant.
I meant something like this. Simple:

Fy
|
|\
|.\
|..\
|...\
|...\..T= 222N
|...\
|...\
|...\
|...\
|___60_\____>Fx

 

[ZapperZ]

The problem here is that (and this is simply a guess based on what I've observed) we would be simply preaching to the choir.

People who would have read the Sticky would tend to already know that they would need to explain their question clearly and know what they need to show. It is the people who simply jump in here (or worse, posted their question in the main PF section), post some cryptic question, and expect people to be able to read their minds on what they want.

It is ALWAYS nice to have a diagram, not just a FBD, when solving a physics problem. It would be lovely if everyone include that with their questions. Unfortunately, people who should be showing that due to their poorly-worded posting tend to not pay attention to the Sticky and are less likely to spend time making a sketch to be uploaded here.

Zz.