DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BAÑOS

ENGINEERING SCIENCE 12
Dynamics of Rigid Bodies
Problem Set 4

PROBLEM 1 – A 1000-kg car with

mass center located at G, is being used G

1m
to lift a 200-kg boulder A that is on a
25-kg pallet B. The acceleration of the

0.75 m
rear-wheel drive car (with horizontal
2m 1.5 m
traction force at the rear wheels, front
wheels are free rolling) at this instant is
1 m/s2. Determine (a) force (kN)
between boulder A and pallet B (ANS:
2.1) and (c) the normal force (kN) at
the rear wheel of the car (ANS: 6.1)
A

PROBLEM 2 – The support bracket shown is

30.0° used to transport a 50-kg cylindrical canister
from one elevation to another with an
acceleration just enough to prevent slipping or
tipping. The coefficients of static and kinetic
1m friction between the canister and the bracket are
a µS = 0.35 and µK = 0.3, respectively. What is
the bracket’s maximum acceleration a (m/s2) so
that the canister will not slip or tip? (ANS: 4.7)
3m

PROBLEM 3 – Members ACE and

BCD are each 600 mm long and are
connected by a pin at C. The mass
center of the 10-kg member AB is
located at G. Determine (a) the
acceleration of AB immediately after
the system has been released from rest
in the position shown (ANS: 8.5) and
(b) the corresponding force exerted by
roller A on member AB. (ANS: 11.2)
Neglect the weight of members ACE
and BCD.
 PROBLEM 4 – The rotating arm
ABC is composed of a 16.1-lb
3 ft 3 ft 1 ft homogeneous slender rod
mounted at point B and a 64.4-lb
rectangular plate at C. The setup
is released from the rest position

2.5 ft
as shown. What is the magnitude
A C C of the angular acceleration α
B (rad/s2) of the rotating arm?
(ANS: 8.3) What is the
magnitude of the reaction (lb) at
B? (ANS: 23)

PROBLEM 5 – A 0.5-kg slender rod is 2m

pinned at O. For the instant shown,
determine the angular acceleration
(rad/s2) of the rod (ANS: 6.4) and the
G ω = 5 rad/s
reactions (N) at pin O (ANS: 10.1).
O 30º

PROBLEM 6 – The 3-m slender rod AB is

constrained to move along frictionless slots. Starting
from rest, a constant horizontal force P is applied
creating a horizontal acceleration of 9 m/s2 at A.
Determine the horizontal force P (ANS: 195 N) at this
instant when the rod is about to move. The mass of
the rod is 10 kg.

PROBLEM 7 – From the position shown, a 20-lb

gear with mass center at G rolls on the stationary
gear rack. If a force of P = 50 lb is applied to the
handle, calculate the angular acceleration α of the
gear at this instant (ANS: 12.33). Take the radius
of gyration of the gear to be k = 4.5 ft. The force P
is maintained at 30o with respect to the horizontal
and the mass of the handle is negligible.

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 PROBLEM 8 – At a very short interval of
time, a force P is given to a 20-kg cabinet as
shown. At the same time, the elevator where the
cabinet is located accelerates vertically by a =
10 m/s2. Determine the maximum allowable
horizontal acceleration of the crate (ANS: 23.8
m/s2) if it should not tip and force P should not
exceed 600 N. The coefficients of static and
kinetic friction are μs = 0.20 and μk = 0.10,
respectively.

PROBLEM 9 – The 15-lb circular disk of radius 1

ft is rolling (without slipping) down the bottom of
the circular path of radius 4 ft. The disk has an
average radius of gyration of 0.72 ft about its
center G. If, at this instant, the disk is rotating
clockwise at 2 rad/s, determine the angular
acceleration (ANS: 10.6 rad/s2), α, of the disk.
Also, determine frictional force (ANS: 2.6 lb) at
the point of contact A.

PROBLEM 10 – The two identical uniform

bars AC and DF, each of mass m = 50 kg and
length L = 4 m, are connected by inextensible
cords at their ends. The assembly hangs in the
vertical plane from a pin at B. Find the tension
in cord CF (ANS: 70 N) the instant after cord
AD has been cut.

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