9.3 Stability
Stable, unstable, and neutral equilibrium judged by how the center of gravity moves, and how a wide base lets a body tilt further before toppling.
2 exercises
9.3 Exercise 1
Using the concept of torque, explain why a traffic cone placed on its base is in stable equilibrium, while a traffic cone placed on its tip is in unstable equilibrium.
9.3 Exercise 6
(a) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the force on each foot of the horse in the figure (two are on the ground), assuming the center of mass of the horse is midway between the feet. The total mass of the horse and rider is 500kg. (b) What is the minimum coefficient of friction between the hooves and ground? Note that the force exerted by the wall is horizontal.
Adapted from College Physics © 2022 Rice University. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Sources: College Physics 2e, College Physics for AP® Courses 2e. Imported at revision f98d7a7.