Consider a rigid 2.60-m-long beam (see figure) that is supported by a fixed 1.30

Question

Consider a rigid 2.60-m-long beam (see figure) that is supported by a fixed 1.30-m-high post through its center and pivots on a frictionless bearing at its center atop the vertical 1.30-m-high post. One end of the beam is connected to the floor by a spring that has a force constant k = 1500 N/m. When the beam is horizontal, the spring is vertical and unstressed. If an object is hung from the opposite end of the beam, the beam settles into an equilibrium position where it makes an angle of 25° with the horizontal. What is the mass of the object?
kg

Explanation / Answer

Take summation of moments about the center

mg(cos 25)(L/2) = kx(L/2)

where

m = mass
g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.8 m/sec^2 (constant)
L = length of the beam
k = spring constant
x = length of stretched portion of spring



m = kx/(g*cos 25) ----- 1

From the geometry of the figure,

tan 25 = x/(L/2) = x/1.3

Solving for x,

x = 1.3(tan 25) = 0.606 m.

Substituting the value of "x" in Equation 1,

m = (1500)(0.606)/(9.8 * cos 25)

m = 102.377 kg.

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