If a body is in equilibrium under the action of three non-parallel coplanar forces, the forces must be concurrent, that is, must meet at a single point. Specific examples are provided here to illustrate the validity of this statement by the use of free-body diagrams as well as during the discussion of equilibrium and moments. These cases are usually not presented in contemporary textbooks; hence, it is our intention to provide examples to help in visualizing the concept. A discussion about four coplanar forces is included.
References
1.
Roger
Muncaster
, A Level Physics
, 4th ed. (Nelson Thornes Ltd.
, 1993
), pp. 44
, 45, and 51
.2.
M. M.
Malhotra
, R.
Subramanian
, P. S.
Gahlot
, and B. S.
Rathore
, Textbook in Applied Mechanics
(New Age International (P) Ltd. Publishers
, 1994
), p. 155
.3.
“
Chapter 6: Basic Mechanics
,” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Document Repository
, http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2433e/i2433e03.pdf, p. 95
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