static equilibrium question (1 Viewer)

[astroman]

A meter stick is balanced on the 40 cm mark when a downward force of 1 N is applied at the 10 cm mark. What is the mass of the stick?

 

[astroman]

bump

 

[Ambility]

To me, this is more of an engineering studies question than a physics question, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

Since the stick is in equilibrium, the clockwise torques must equal the counter-clockwise torque.



In the diagram I made, the clockwise torques were the force at 10 cm and the mass (centred at 20 cm) and my counter-clockwise torque was the mass centred at 70 cm. These may be opposite in your diagram, you'll still get the same answer.

 

[Fizzy_Cyst]

Alternatively, noting the first 40cm on both sides would provide balancing torques and essentially cancel each other out you would be left with:

1 x 0.3 = 20/100m x 9.8 x 0.5

And you should get the exact same answer.