Two people are lifting a 2.0-m wide, 80-kg office desk by the ends. One side is

Question

Two people are lifting a 2.0-m wide, 80-kg office desk by the ends. One side is heavier than the other, and it is found that the person exerting the larger force is exerting a vertical force of 500 N. How far from that person is the center of mass of the desk? Two people are lifting a 2.0-m wide, 80-kg office desk by the ends. One side is heavier than the other, and it is found that the person exerting the larger force is exerting a vertical force of 500 N. How far from that person is the center of mass of the desk?

Explanation / Answer

width of the desk = w = 2.0m

mass of the desk = 80 kg

F(L) = 500 Newtons

Let d be the distance of F(L) and the center of mass

For an object to be in static equillibrium, sum of the torques (momets) about any point shuld be zero. So we have,

F(L) x w - m x g ( w - d ) = 0

500 x 2 - 80 x 9.81 x (2 - d) = 0 Solving for d we get,

d = 0.725 meters

the person is d = 0.725 meters far from the center of mass of the desk.

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