Final answer:
To determine the force in each structural member (ab, bc, bd) supporting an object of weight W = 110 lb, one must apply principles of statics to consider tensions and compressions. The force must satisfy equilibrium conditions, and the nature of force, whether the member is in tension or compression, will be indicated by the solution's sign.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is centered around the forces experienced by structural members supporting a load. In the given scenario, members ab, bc, and bd are used to support an object with the weight W = 110 lb. To determine the force supported by each of these members, one needs to use the principles of static equilibrium. This involves setting up equations to solve for the forces in each member, ensuring that the sum of the forces in both the horizontal and vertical directions equals zero, and the sum of the moments also equals zero. The members could either be in tension (being pulled apart) or compression (being pushed together). The sign of the force will indicate its nature: tension is considered positive (force being pulled away from the joint) while compression is considered negative (force being pushed towards the joint).
For simplicity, let's consider the tension T in the members and the known weight W = 110 lb, where T = W = mg. This tells us that the magnitude of the tension would be equal to the magnitude of the weight if the members are in tension and supporting the load directly. However, to find the exact forces on members ab, bc, and bd, a free-body diagram with all forces and moments needs to be drawn, and equations of equilibrium applied to solve for each member's force.