Solid mechanics: Statics and dynamics

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Practical 1 SOLID MECHANICS:

STATICS AND DYNAMICS
Foreword
This practical work in an open one. The text below describes the experiments that have to be
performed. Since the duration is limited to 4 hours, they have to be performed before the time
is elapsed. If you have some time left, it is up to you to imagine additional experiments with
the material at hand.
The material at hand has purposely been chosen to be rudimentary. Thus the measurements
will not be very precise and for each measurement you should estimate the uncertainty
(uncertainty: reasonable upper limit of the measurement error).

I. INTRODUCTION
The field of mechanics describes bodies that are at rest (statics) or moving (dynamics).This
practical work uses simple experiments to illustrate the mechanics course. For an efficient
preparation for this practical work you are recommended to review the fundamentals of the
mechanics course.

II. MODELING
To model a physical phenomenon, you are recommended to start with the simplest description
before making it more complex (if necessary). For example, in your first approximation, the
mass of certain objects may be neglected. It is only if the difference between the calculated
results and the experiment is too large that the other masses are taken into account.

III.

PROBLEM 1

III.1.

The steelyard

On a market the goods are weighed with a steelyard (also known as steelyard balance or
roman balance1) (see Figure 1). It is hangs from a hook (A) and the mass M is moved along
the beam until the latter reaches a horizontal position.
What is the working principle of the steelyard? Does the measurement depend on the gravity
field?

The roman balance that consists of a straight-beam balance with arms of unequal length, is
older than the roman empire. In Arabic it is called roummana literally after the pomegranate,
because of the mobile mass that can be translated along the beam. It is a straight-beam
balance with arms of unequal length.
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Solid mechanics: Statics and dynamics

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Figure 1 : Steelyard.

III.2.

Experiment: measurement of a bodys mass X

A magnetic board with holes enables various elements to be attached:

The body X that represents the unknown mass: it is a cylindrical steel tube with
density = 7.8 g/cm3;

A beam with holes that can be mounted on an axis;

A set of bodies (each of known mass) with a total mass less than the unknown mass.
1.

Measure the unknown mass X with a set-up similar to the steelyard. What is the
uncertainty on the measurement?

2.

What are the conditions to achieve the most precise measurement?

3.

Use a vernier caliper to measure the dimensions of the unknown mass X (see
chapters 4.1 and 4.2 of the methods textbook). Deduce its mass from its volume
and density.

4.

Do the uncertainty domains overlap? If not, identify the causes and if possible try
to improve your results.

IV.

PROBLEM 2

IV.1.

Device to keep a beam horizontal

A beam AB can rotate freely around an axis x' Ox . In order to keep this beam horizontal
when a mass M is attached at point B with a string (rigid and of negligible mass), a spring is
attached between the other end A of the slab and a fixed point D (Figure 2).
The settings are the following:

Distance OA = a, distance OB = b (with ba);

The spring has a length l0 when unloaded and a spring constant k;

The direction (DA) builds an angle with the upright direction.

What is the expression of the spring constant k?

Solid mechanics: Statics and dynamics

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horizontal

spring

Axis of rotation
M

upright
D
Anchor point
(axis on magnet)
Figure 2 : Sketch of the experimental set-up.

IV.2.

Experiments

IV.2.1.

1st preliminary study: measurement of the spring constant by means

of a static experiment

Reminder: a spring with a spring constant k generates a restoring force T proportional to its
elongation:

T T k l l0

Attach different bodies of known mass to the spring held in vertical position (the otherend of
the spring being attached to a fixed point). Plot a curve giving the modulus of T as a
function of the elongation.
Note: When a variation is linear, in order to increase the accuracy, the best method is to plot a
graph with a straight line and deduce the unknown variable from its slope.

IV.2.2.

2nd preliminary study: measurement of the spring constant by means

of a dynamic experiment
Reminder: a mass m, hanging from a spring with spring constant k, oscillates with a period T
given by the following expression:
T 2

m
k

Determine the spring constant by measuring the period T of the oscillations.

IV.2.3.
Main experiment
For an angle comprised between 30 and 45.
1. Set-up the experiment as shown in 2. Use an appropriate mass M
horizontal slab.
2. Analyze the forces and moments and deduce the spring constant k.

to obtain a

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Compare the values and uncertainties obtained by the 3 methods and draw conclusions
from them.

V.

PROBLEM 3

V.1.

Winch and crank (equilibrium of a mechanical device that lifts

weights vertically)
A winch is made of a cylinder of radius R (free to rotate around an axis z' Oz ) on which a
crank of mass M is welded. The crank is equivalent to a straight and inextensible rod OA of
length L. Its mass can be neglected. A flexible inextensible string of negligible mass is
attached and wound on the cylinder. The other end of the string carries a body of mass M that
is subject only to vertical displacements. Another mass M is fixed at point A. Any friction can
be neglected (Fig. 3).

z
z

A
M

M
M

Figure 3: Schematic view of a winch and crank-based mechanical device.

1. Determine the positions of equilibrium of the system by giving the values of the angle E
that makes the crank OA with respect to the direction z' Oz .
2. Examine the existence and the stability of these positions depending on the values for M
and M. The values of L and R have to be determined experimentally.
Assuming that the mass of the winchs cylinder can be neglected, what is the period of the
oscillations around the equilibrium position?

V.2.
Experiment
Use the pre-mounted assembly schematically shown in Figure 3.
1. Determine experimentally the threshold mass M from which on it is possible to observe
equilibrium for a given value of M.
2. Perform a theoretical calculation and - based on experimental data perform a set up that
admits 2 states of equilibrium.
3. Analyse the problem from the point of view of the potential energy of the system and
compare the stability of these states of equilibrium with the experiment.
4. What is the period of the oscillations in the 2 following cases:

Solid mechanics: Statics and dynamics

-E close to 0 (approximately 10)

-E close to 90 (approximately 80)
Explain where the difference comes from.

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