Describe several situations in which an object is not in equilibrium, even though the net force on it is zero.
Expert Solution & Answer
To determine
The different situations in which an object is not in equilibrium even when there is zero net force.
Answer to Problem 1Q
A situation in which an object is not equilibrium even though the net force on it is zero is a meter stick with equal and opposite forces acting at opposite ends and the meter stick rotates about its center.
Explanation of Solution
Equilibrium of a system is defined as the state when neither its internal energy nor its state of motion change with respect to time. The condition for equilibrium is that the system must be experiencing zero acceleration. For the acceleration of the system to be zero, the net external forces as well as the net external torque on the system must be zero.
Even though the net force acting on the system is zero, if the net torque acting on it is non-zero, the system will not be in equilibrium. An example for this is a meter stick with equal and opposite forces acting at both ends. The net force acting on the meter stick is zero but the net torque on it is non-zero since the forces are not co-linear. This will make the meter stick to rotate about its center.
Conclusion:
Thus, the situation in which an object is not equilibrium even though the net force on it is zero is a meter stick with equal and opposite forces acting at opposite ends and the meter stick rotates about its center.
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Three slits, each separated from its neighbor by d = 0.06 mm, are illuminated by a coherent light source of
wavelength 550 nm. The slits are extremely narrow. A screen is located L = 2.5 m from the slits. The
intensity on the centerline is 0.05 W. Consider a location on the screen x = 1.72 cm from the centerline.
a) Draw the phasors, according to the phasor model for the addition of harmonic waves, appropriate for this
location.
b) From the phasor diagram, calculate the intensity of light at this location.
A Jamin interferometer is a device for measuring or for comparing the indices of refraction of gases. A beam
of monochromatic light is split into two parts, each of which is directed along the axis of a separate cylindrical
tube before being recombined into a single beam that is viewed through a telescope. Suppose we are given the
following,
•
Length of each tube is L = 0.4 m.
• λ= 598 nm.
Both tubes are initially evacuated, and constructive interference is observed in the center of the field of view. As
air is slowly let into one of the tubes, the central field of view changes dark and back to bright a total of 198
times.
(a) What is the index of refraction for air?
(b) If the fringes can be counted to ±0.25 fringe, where one fringe is equivalent to one complete cycle of
intensity variation at the center of the field of view, to what accuracy can the index of refraction of air be
determined by this experiment?
1. An arrangement of three charges is shown below where q₁ = 1.6 × 10-19 C, q2 = -1.6×10-19 C,
and q3 3.2 x 10-19 C.
2 cm
Y
93
92
91
X
3 cm
(a) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the net force on q₁.
(b) Sketch the direction of the forces on qi
Chapter 12 Solutions
Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics
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