What Vertical Forces Act on a Leaning Ladder at the Point of Slipping?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the forces acting on a ladder that is leaning against a wall and is at the point of slipping. Participants are exploring the vertical forces at play, particularly questioning whether the vertical force at the point of contact with the floor equals the weight of the ladder.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the various forces involved, including vertical reaction forces and frictional forces, while questioning the conditions under which these forces operate. There is also a focus on the implications of the ladder being at the point of slipping and its interaction with the wall.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants offering insights into the forces involved and prompting further exploration of the problem. Some participants have provided hints and questions to guide understanding without reaching a definitive conclusion.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of the ladder leaning against a frictionless wall, which raises questions about the nature of the forces acting on it at the point of slipping. The original poster expresses confusion about the relationship between the vertical forces and the weight of the ladder.

blade_chong
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Consider a ladder leaning at a certain angle to the horizontal leaning against a wall on the point of slipping. Does the vertical component of force at the point of contact between the ladder and the floor equals to the weight of the ladder? If the answer is no, are there any other force(s) involved? I am confused about this.
 
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No. There are other forces involved. There's a horizontal frictional force between the ladder and the floor (as you say), the weight of the ladder, a vertical reaction force between the floor and the ladder, a reaction between the wall and the ladder, and a frictional force between the ladder and the wall.

Do your free-body diagram and make sure you've got all these taken care of, then continue as normal.

Questions like this should be posted in the relevant homework forum.
 
blade_chong said:
Consider a ladder leaning at a certain angle to the horizontal leaning against a wall on the point of slipping. Does the vertical component of force at the point of contact between the ladder and the floor equals to the weight of the ladder? If the answer is no, are there any other force(s) involved? I am confused about this.

Hi blade_chong! :smile:

Hint: what other force is there?

Under what conditions will it be purely horizontal? :smile:
 
elo to all...if the ladder is leaning on the wall still, i am able to to answer my question.However pls read my question carefully. Notice the words "point of slipping". will it affect the forces between the wall and ladder ?
 
At the "point of slipping", the ladder is still leaning against the wall. What vertical forces act on the ladder? (In this problem, the ladder is usually leaning against a frictionless wall. Is that the case here?)
 
Doc Al said:
At the "point of slipping", the ladder is still leaning against the wall. What vertical forces act on the ladder? (In this problem, the ladder is usually leaning against a frictionless wall. Is that the case here?)

thx i understand now
 

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