ENGD1005

Mechanical Principles

Force Board

Student Name: Nizamuddin Patel

P Number: 15219444
Year: 1
Course of Study: Mechanical Engineering

Lab Tutor: Dr. Anna Strzeleckha

Date experiment conducted: 15/02/2016

Date submitted: 09/03/2016
Name: Nizamuddin Patel P15219444

Objectives

To develop an understanding of forces in equilibrium with altered mass. A force equilibrium is when
all forces, once added, equal to 0.

Apparatus

a) Light friction free pulleys

b) Force Board

c) Hanger and masses

d) Light weight cord

e) Plain A4 paper
f) Protector
g) Pencil

Figure 1- Force Board

apparatus

Method

 The force board was already set up with the untangled light weight cord over the friction
free pulleys and the cords were joined in the middle by a knot. Friction free pulleys and
lightweight cords were used to ensure an errorless experiment.
 At the end of each cord (3 cords in total) there was a hanger and masses attached(weight
changed for every experiment)
 Once the masses were attached and the apparatus was static we placed a white blank A4
paper behind the cords, with the centre of the paper at the knot. We then drew the cords
lines onto the paper (See attached paper)
 The lines were used to measure angles between them, using a protractor. These values were
then recorded as results and used later on
 The process was repeated for different masses- 1 equal mass(70g), 3 unequal mass (40g,
80g, 60g), 4 unequal forces (100g, 50g, 60g, 80g)

ENGD1005- Mechanical Principles Force Board

Name: Nizamuddin Patel P15219444

Results
 The results were calculated using a protractor and are clearly shown in the diagrams attached.
 The angles and lines on each diagram was used to construct a space diagram which is attached.
 Newton’s formula requires mass in kilograms, therefore mass had to be converted into KG
 The unit for Force is Newton (N) therefore the mass has to be converted (mass × 9.81)

Diagram 1: Three Equal Forces (70g)

Horizontal
Taking the right forces as positive:
(0.07 kg × 9.81) cos (30) – (0.07 × 9.81) cos (30)
=0.5947 -0.5947
=0 N
The net force horizontally is 0N, this means that the system is not moving in a
horizontal motion.

Vertical
Taking the upward force as positive:
(0.07 kg × 9.81) sin (30) + (0.07 × 9.81) sin (30) – (0.07 × 9.81)
=0.34335+0.34335-0.6867
=0 N
The net force vertically is 0N, this means that the system is not moving in a vertical
motion
To calculate the resultant the following
equation is used: 𝐹𝑅 = √𝐹12 + 𝐹22
x FR= √02 + 02
0N FR=0 N
Adjacent
Cos ϴ = (Hypotenuse)
0
ϴ ϴ = Cos-1(0) ϴ = 90⁰
0N
Diagram 2: Three Unequal Forces (40g, 80g, 60g)
Horizontal
Taking the right forces as positive:
(0.06 kg × 9.81) cos (61) - (0.04 kg × 9.81) cos (46)
=0.2854 -0.2726
=0.0128 N
The net force horizontally is 0.0128N, this means that the system is moving in a
horizontal motion.

Vertical
Taking the upward force as positive:
(0.04 kg × 9.81) sin (46) + (0.06 × 9.81) sin (61) – (0.08 × 9.81)
=0.2823+0.5148-0.7848
=0.0124 N
The net force vertically is 0.0124N, this means that the system is moving in a vertical
motion

ENGD1005- Mechanical Principles Force Board

 Name: Nizamuddin Patel P15219444

To calculate the resultant the following equation is used:

𝐹𝑅 = √𝐹12 + 𝐹22
FR= √0.01282 + 0.01242 0.01782 N
FR=0.01782 N
x

0.0124 N
Adjacent
Cos ϴ = (Hypotenuse)
0.0128
Cos ϴ = ( )
0.01782
0.0128
ϴ = Cos-1(0.01782) 48⁰
0.0128
ϴ = 44.086o N

Diagram 3: Four Unequal Forces (100g, 50g, 60g, 80g)

Horizontal
Taking the right forces as positive:
(0.06 kg × 9.81) cos (63⁰) + (0.08 kg × 9.81) cos (44⁰) - (0.1 kg × 9.81) cos (27⁰)
=0.2672 +0.5645-0.8741
= -0.0424 N
The net force horizontally is -0.0424N, this means that the system is moving in a
horizontal motion, towards the left

Vertical
Taking the upward force as positive:
(0.1 kg × 9.81) sin (27) + (0.06 × 9.81) sin (63) – (0.08 × 9.81) sin (44) - (0.05 × 9.81)
=0.4454+ 0.5244- 0.5452-0.4905
= -0.0659 N
The net force vertically is -0.0659, this means that the system is moving in a vertical
motion, downwards.
To calculate the resultant the following equation is used:
𝐹𝑅 = √𝐹12 + 𝐹22 0.0424 N
48⁰
FR= √(−0.0421)2 + (−0.06592
FR=0.0782 N
0.0659 N

Adjacent
Cos ϴ = ( )
Hypotenuse
0.0424 x
Cos ϴ = (0.0782)
0.0424
ϴ = Cos-1(0.0782)
0.0782 N
o
ϴ = 57.167

ENGD1005- Mechanical Principles Force Board

Name: Nizamuddin Patel P15219444

Figure 2- Space Diagram, 3 Equal Forces Figure 3- Space Diagram, 3 unequal Forces

Figure 4- Space Diagram, 4 unequal Forces

Discussion
When a system experiences no net force (resultant force) it is in equilibrium. When forces are in
equilibrium the net horizontal forces are equal to zero as well as the net vertical forces. Therefore
the resultant force would be equal to zero and there will be no movement in the system.

As soon as the masses were added to the hangers; for the first part all masses were equal therefore
the system was still in equilibrium. The second part of the experiment all masses were different
therefore the system was not in equilibrium at that moment but then reached the equilibrium
position after a small period. When the system was adjusted no movement was present. Same
applies for the third part of the experiment as all masses were different. The system was not in a
state of equilibrium but then attained it when it was finally adjusted.

The first experiment (three equal forces), was in equilibrium. When the calculations were completed
it suggests there were movements in the last two experiments and therefore they were not in an
equilibrium position. Comparing this with the experiment, errors were definitely made when either
calculating or drawing the position of the cords to the A4 sheet leading to human error.

Relating to the calculations, only the first experiment was in an equilibrium, the rest of the systems
never actually accomplished an equilibrium position therefore if the system was in equilibrium when
the masses were added, this cannot be verified.

For the first part of the experiment of three equal forces, the horizontal component was 0 N, the
vertical component was also 0 N therefore the resultant force was 0 N. The system was in a
equilibrium.

The second part of the experiment of three unequal forces, the horizontal component was 0.0128 N,
the vertical component was 0.0124 N and the resultant force was 0.01782 N. Therefore the system
was not in equilibrium.

ENGD1005- Mechanical Principles Force Board

Name: Nizamuddin Patel P15219444

Finally the third part of the experiment of four unequal forces, the horizontal component was
₋0.0424 N, the vertical component was – 0.0659 N and the resultant force was 0.0782 N. Therefore
the system was not in equilibrium. As the resultant was the biggest in the third part of the
experiment, errors were mostly experienced during this.

This experiment had large room for error, both calculation errors and human errors have occurred
due to equipment use as well as human error when drawing the points of the cords and calculations.

The cord mass could have been taken into account but the strings were light therefore negligible.
Therefore most of the errors wouldn’t have been caused from this so they would have been made
from other means.

The masses and hangers used could have been part of the errors as each have a tolerance rating
from the manufactures therefore the use of many could add to huge error amount. The angles
measured from the diagrams would also be affected as it could be greater or less than the actual
result. The mass of the cords are in micrograms, which was neglected in the calculations. The wire
equilibrium can change degrees. The calculations assumes pulleys are friction free.

When plotting the points of the cords to the A4 sheet there was gap (Parallax Error) which could
have had a great affect to the results calculated therefore the whole of the calculations could be
wrong due to this. As well as when measuring the angles the protractor had a tolerance of 0.5o
therefore this would also include errors to the system.

Conclusion

The state of equilibrium can be achieved within this experiment with three equal, three unequal and
four unequal masses applied. However possible error from calculations and human error can affect
its verification and therefore theoretically is not in a state of equilibrium. But from this experiment,
an understanding of how equilibrium can be reached and within this state no movement occurs. If
any errors are applied to calculations or drawing trying to prove the state, the equilibrium position
theoretically would not have applied to the system even though experimentally this was achieved.

References

Cdn.tiger-stores.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.

"Equilibrium And Statics". Physicsclassroom.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.

ENGD1005- Mechanical Principles Force Board