Static equilibrium occurs when the total forces acting on a stationary object add up to zero, resulting in no motion. This requires both translational and rotational equilibrium, with external forces and torques adding up to zero. Newton’s first law of motion applies, stating that an object will remain at constant velocity if the vector sum of forces is zero. In static equilibrium, opposing vectors cancel each other out exactly, resulting in zero net force on the object. Translational equilibrium and rotational balance are necessary conditions for static equilibrium.
Static equilibrium is a term used in physics to describe a situation where the total forces acting on a stationary object add up to zero. In other words, the forces pulling the object in different directions balance each other, causing the object to remain motionless. For an object to be in static equilibrium, it must also be in translational equilibrium and rotational equilibrium, which means that the external forces and external torques acting on the object must add up to exactly zero.
In physics, forces of motion are often described in terms of vectors. A vector is an abstract mathematical concept used to represent both the direction and magnitude of a force. If a crate is pulled a certain distance to the left, for example, the vector will indicate both the direction of the force and the distance the crate was pulled.
Newton’s first law of motion states that an object will remain at constant velocity if the sum of the vector forces on that object is zero. Objects at rest will remain at rest unless moved by a force, and objects in motion will, likewise, remain at the same speed unless moved. Vector sum is also called net force or net force.
In a case of static equilibrium, forces act on an object, but the vector sum of all forces acting on that object is zero. This means that the opposing vectors cancel each other out exactly, resulting in zero net force on the object. Although forces are present, the object remains motionless. To continue the example given above, if the crate were pulled simultaneously to both the left and right with exactly the same amount of force and exactly opposite torque, all vectors would be exactly opposite each other and the crate would not move . It would be in static equilibrium.
When the external forces acting on an object cancel each other out, the object is said to be in translational equilibrium, the first necessary condition for static equilibrium. The second condition is rotational balance. In rotational equilibrium, the net torque, or rotational force, acting on the object must be zero. If, for example, the case is pulled left and right but also rotated around an axis, it would not be in static equilibrium, because the torque would cause it to move. An equal and opposite force of torque would be required to set the case into rotational equilibrium.
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