What is the Force Exerted by a Ball Against a Wall Supported by a Thin Wire?

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SUMMARY

The problem involves calculating the force exerted by a 42 kg ball with a diameter of 32 cm against a vertical frictionless wall, supported by a 30 cm wire. Using Newton's first law, the sum of the forces equals zero, indicating that the force exerted by the ball on the wall must balance the tension in the wire. The distance from the center of the ball to the wall is 16 cm, which is critical for determining the geometry of the forces involved. The triangle formed by the ball's radius and the wire's length must be analyzed to accurately compute the force.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion, particularly Newton's first law.
  • Knowledge of free body diagrams and how to apply them to static equilibrium problems.
  • Familiarity with basic trigonometry to analyze the geometry of forces.
  • Concept of tension in wires and how it relates to forces in equilibrium.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the application of Newton's first law in static equilibrium scenarios.
  • Learn how to construct and analyze free body diagrams for complex systems.
  • Explore trigonometric functions and their applications in force resolution.
  • Investigate the principles of tension in cables and wires under load.
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, engineers, and anyone involved in mechanics or static equilibrium problems will benefit from this discussion.

poorfish10
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Hi,
I am having trouble figuring out how to start this problem, I have a free body diagram, but I am not sure which equation to use to help me solve for this, please help!

A solid form 42 kg ball of diameter 32 cm is supported against a vertical frictionless wall using a thin 30cm wire of negligible mass, how hard does the ball push against the wall?

Thank you!
 
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poorfish10 said:
I am not sure which equation to use to help me solve for this, please help!
The ball is not accelerating so you can use Newton's first law (sum of the forces = 0).
 
yes, but the center of the ball (where the mass is to be assumed) is 16cm away from the wall. so you have a triangle that is a=16 b=43.1 c=46, don't you ave to take that into account?
 

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