CHAPTER 2

STATIC EQUILIBRIUM
LESSON OUTLINE
Condition for statics equilibrium
Examples of rigid objects in static equilibrium
Static equilibrium
Static: The subject concerned with the determination of the forces within 
a structure at rest.

Equilibrium: Object at rest.

Static Equilibrium: An object at rest is said to be in static equilibrium 
when all forces acted upon the object are balance or when the vector sum 
of all forces action on a body is zero.

Two Conditions for object to be in equilibrium:
Stability
Example 1
A boy and his cat sit on a seesaw.
The cat has a mass of 4 kg and sits 2 m from the center
of rotation. If the boy has a mass of 50 kg, where should
he sit so that the see-saw will balance? Ans: r2 =0.16 m
 Center of mass, CM

Center of Mass The point on an object where all of its 
mass can be considered to be 
concentrated.

Center of Gravity The point on an object where all of 
its weight can be considered to act.

These are at the SAME POINT for an object in a constant 
gravitational field.
The center of mass lies at the geometric
center for a symmetric, uniform density
object
The center of mass can be outside the mass
of the body.
Center of Mass Location
In x direction
m1 x1  m2 x2  m3 x 3 ...
CM 
m1  m2  m3  ....
In y direction

m1 y1  m2 y2  m3 y 3 ...
CM 
m1  m2  m3  ....
Example 2

Locate the center of mass for the combination of

the three mass in x and y directions.
Ans : x = 8.5, y = 8.5
Example 3

Locate the center of mass in the x and y

direction for the figure above.
Ans: x = 6.6 y = 7.4
Example 4
A uniform rod loaded as shown is pivot at point A
so that it is in equilibrium. The length of AB is 4 m
and AC is 1 m. Determine the weight of the rod.
Ans: 100N
Example 5
In below figure, calculate F1and F2 that acts on a 
uniform beam of mass 30 kg. Ans: 587 N, 607 N
Example 6

In below figure, the weight of the object,

W is 30 N and is in equilibrium. Find
T1and T2. Ans: 43.73 N , 23.18 N
Example 7
Find the torque about axis A in due to each of
the forces shown below. Ans : 8 N.m, 8.45
N.m, 0 N.m
3 20 N

25 N 2
25 o


10 N
1
EXAMPLE: 8
A weightless strut (10 m) is hinged at a wall with the far end
supported by a cord. A weigh of 100 N hangs from the far
end. Find:
a) the tension in the cord. Ans: 200 N
b) the horizontal and vertical components of the force exerted
on the strut at the hinge. Ans: 173 N, 0 N
c) the magnitude and direction of the react on the wall exerts
T

on the beam at the hinge. Ans : 173 N, 0o F y o

30

Fx

18
 Exercise
1. Three masses are attached to a uniform meter stick, as shown in Figure below. The mass of 
the meter stick is 150.0 g and the masses to the left of the fulcrum are m 1 = 50.0 g and m2 = 75.0 
g. Find the mass m3 that balances the system when it is attached at the right end of the stick, 
and the normal reaction force at the fulcrum when the system is balanced. Ans: 317 g, 5.8 N

2. A uniform ladder is L = 5.0 m long and weighs 400.0 N. The ladder rests against a slippery vertical
wall, as shown in Figure below. The inclination angle between the ladder and the rough floor is β =
53°. Find the reaction forces from the floor and from the wall on the ladder and the coefficient of
static friction μ at the interface of the ladder with the floor that prevents the ladder from slipping.
Ans: Fwall = 150.7 N µ = 0.377 Fflooor = 427.4 N