Question

A uniform beam of length 20 m and mass 100 kg is supported by

pylons on either end. A 200-kg box is centered at 12 m from the
right end of the beam. What is the downward force on the left most
pylon?

Answer 1

To determine the downward force on the left most pylon, we need to consider the torques acting on the beam. The force on the left most pylon is 1600 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the downward force on the left most pylon, we need to consider the torques acting on the beam. Torque is calculated by multiplying the force applied perpendicular to the length of the beam by the distance from the pivot point. In this case, the pivot point is the right end of the beam and the force causing the torque is the weight of the box.

The torque is given by the equation torque = force x distance. The distance from the pivot point to the box is 20 m - 12 m = 8 m. The weight of the box can be calculated by multiplying its mass by the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2).

Using the formula torque = force x distance, we can rearrange it to solve for the force: force = torque / distance. Plugging in the values, we find that the force on the left most pylon is 1600 N.