Block on a meter stick
Remember that a meter stick is exactly 1 meter long.
A meter stick (assume its mass is uniformly distributed) is in
static equilibrium on two supports. Support A is located at the 30
cm mark, and support B is at the 62 cm mark. There is a block on
the meter stick, at some distance x from the
left end (the x = 0 cm mark) of the meter stick.
If you change the location of the block, the support forces also
change.
Part (a)
When the block is at x = 10.0 cm,
FA = 50.0 N and FB = 20.0 N.
Calculate the weight of the block.
_______ N
Part (b)
Calculate the weight of the meter stick. (The stick is actually
a beam with a length of 1 meter - its weight is quite a bit more
than that of a regular meter stick!)
_______ N
Part (c)
At what x position can the block be placed so the two support
forces are equal to one another?
x = _______ cm
Part (d)
If the block is placed at x = 50.0 cm, determine the magnitude
of the force applied to the meter stick by support A.
_______ N
Part (e)
Continuing from part (d), determine the magnitude of the force
applied to the meter stick by support B.
_______ N
Part (f)
Determine the maximum x value where the block can be placed
without the system tipping over.
x = _______ cm
