School Of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-115 Engineering Mechanics (Fall 2023)

Name: Muhammad Abdullah Zafar Ghauri CMS: 405642

Section: C Group: 02

C-1

Experiment 5: Study equilibrium condition of a rigid Body with sets of parallel forces
acting in one plane.

Objectives: The main purpose of the experiment is to successfully determine the ground and wall
reactions of ladder with a climbing body over it., while establishing and abiding a condition of
equilibrium, being set by parallel forces, being acting along the single plane. The main purpose of the
following lab is to analyze and study the condition of equilibrium of a rigid body using sets of parallel
forces by balancing of the apparatus in equilibrium state, proceeded by the addition of adding loads
(HA, HB, and VA) and moving sliding mass on the ladder. Moment about the B position is meant to be
taken into consideration by equating to zero value and later on the calculating the experimental and
theoretical values of moment about B position.

Apparatus:

Rigid Body Equilibrium Apparatus

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 1. Marking Instrument (An erasable marker)
2. Frictionless Cord
3. Weight Hangers
4. Masses (varying between 50g and at most 400g)
5. ST1 Universal Frame and Stand
6. Single and Double Fixed Pulleys
7. Load Hangers
8. Ladder and Weight
9. Measuring Tape/Rod

Procedure:

1. It must be ensured that the apparatus is placed on the smooth horizontal surface.
2. Proceed towards the general setup of the apparatus, by the attachment of hangers to frictionless
cord and made to pass over the pulleys.
3. Let the moveable ladder be oriented at 45-degree angle to vertical and sliding mass be mounted
about the lowest point of ladder.
4. Proceed towards the attachment of weights at the bottom to provide frictional force such that
ladder should stay against the vertical plate and should not slip.
5. Now add weights to horizontal cord hanger attached to top of ladder in order to balance the
tangential frictional force. At balanced point ladder would be clear of the vertical plate.
6. Add on more weights to vertical hanger to balance weight of ladder and sliding mass until a
balanced point is achieved about the ladder and will be clear off the horizontal plate.
7. Note the values of the weights added to the horizontal hangers (excluding hanger’s weight).
Note values of weight added to vertical hangers but include hanger weight.
8. Repeat the same procedure by mounting sliding mass to middle and upper most point of ladder.
9. Perform calculations and compare them with theoretical values.

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Readings and Calculations:

• Mass of Ladder=875g=0.875kg
• Moveable Mass=500g=0.5kg
• Length of Ladder=L=560mm=0.560m
• Starting point=40mm
• Distance between two consecutive groves on ladder=70mm=0.07m

Calculation of Moment about B

Anticlockwise Moment is considered positive
𝑳
HBcosβ-W1(𝟐)sinβ-W2(l)sinβ=0
So,
𝑾 𝒍𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜷+𝑾 /𝟐𝑳𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜷
Hb= 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜷𝑳

𝑾 𝑾𝒍
Hb=tanβ( + )
𝟐 𝑳

Position of Load Horizontal Load Vertical

(from bottom of At Top At Bottom Theoretical Error Load
ladder) (N) (N) Horizontal (%) (N)
(mm) (B (A Position) Load at top
Position) (N)
110 5.2 5 5.25 4.76% 13.5
180 5.7 5.5 5.86 3.50% 13.5
250 6.2 6.0 6.47 3.22% 13.5
320 6.7 6.5 7.09 2.98% 13.5
390 7.7 7.2 7.70 6.29% 13.5

Sample Calculations:
For Reading # 1:
Theoretical Horizontal Load at Top:

W1 = 0.875 x 9.81 = 8.583 N

W2 = 0.5 x 9.81 = 4.905 N
L = 560 mm = 0.56 m
l = 110 mm = 0.11 m

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θ = 45º
8.583 4.905(0.11)
𝐻𝐵 = tan(45)( + ) = 5.2554 𝑁
2 0.56
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 − 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
% 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 = | | 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
5.25 − 5.0
% Difference = | | x 100% = 4.76%
5.255

For Reading # 2:
l = 180 mm = 0.18 m
8.583 4.905(0.18)
𝐻𝐵 = tan(45)( + ) = 5.86 𝑁
2 0.56
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 − 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
% 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 = | | 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
5.86 − 5.5
% Difference = | | x 100% = 3.50%
5.86

For Reading # 3:
l = 250 mm = 0.25 m
8.583 4.905(0.25)
𝐻𝐵 = tan(45)( + ) = 6.48 𝑁
2 0.56
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 − 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
% 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 = | | 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
6.47 − 6.0
% Difference = | | x 100% = 3.22%
6.47

For Reading # 4:
l = 320 mm = 0.32 m
8.583 4.905(0.32)
𝐻𝐵 = tan(45)( + ) = 7.09 𝑁
2 0.56
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 − 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
% 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 = | | 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
6.47 − 6.0
% Difference = | | x 100% = 2.98%
6.47

For Reading # 4:
l = 390 mm = 0.39 m

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 8.583 4.905(0.39)
𝐻𝐵 = tan(45)( + ) = 7.70 𝑁
2 0.56
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 − 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
% 𝑫𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 = | | 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎%
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
7.70 − 7.2
% Difference = | | x 100% = 6.29%
7.70

Free Body Diagram/Schematic Diagram

Results and Discussion:

In this experiment, rigid bodies were balanced in the state of equilibrium by using sets of parallel
forces. The conditions for equilibrium were applied which were ƩFx = 0, ƩFy = 0, and ƩMA = 0. The
apparatus was balanced at different positions of sliding mass on the ladder by adding loads as HA and
HB. VA was advised to be kept constant. The loads were recorded at different positions of sliding mass.
Using conditions for equilibrium, formula for theoretical HB was derived. Then, the theoretical and
experimental values for HB were compared and % error was calculated. There was a minute error
between the theoretical and experimental values of HB. Experimental values were higher than
theoretical ones in most cases, which was due to friction in pulleys and between pulleys and strings. In
one case, theoretical value was slightly higher than the experimental value which may be a result of
human error while performing the experiment. The graph between position of sliding mass and HB
(both theoretical and experimental) was plotted and it was observed that in most cases, the theoretical
and experimental results overlapped each other.
Distance increases so moment also increases so to balance out the moment we need to add force or
weights.

Conclusion:

Theoretical and experimental values for HB verifying equilibrium conditions of a rigid body can be
determined graphically. Minute error was observed due to friction in pulleys and strings, and human
error.

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