EXAMPLE 8.7 Don't Climb the Ladder GOAL Apply the two conditions of equilibrium. (a) A ladder leaning against a frictionless wall. (b) A free-body diagram of the ladder. (c) Lever arms for the force of gravity and P. 10 m 50 ta P P 50 N 50 N 50 PROBLEM A uniform ladder 10.0 m long and weighing 50.0 N rests against a frictionless vertical wall as in Figure (a). If the ladder is just on the verge of slipping when it makes a 50.0 angle with the ground, find the coefficient of static friction between the ladder and ground. STRATEGY Figure (b) is the force diagram for the ladder. The first condition of equilibrium, F, = 0, gives two equations for three unknowns: the magnitudes of the static friction force f and the normal force n, both acting on the base of the ladder, and the magnitude of the force of the wall, P, acting on the top of the ladder. The second condition of equilibrium, T, = 0, gives a third equation (for P), so all three quantities can be found. The definition of static friction then allows computation of the coefficient of static friction. SOLUTION Apply the first condition of equilibrium to the ladder. (1) Fx = f P = 0 f = P (2) Fy = n = n 50.0 N = 0 >> n = 50.0 N T + Tgrav = 0 Apply the second condition of equilibrium, computing torques around the base of the ladder, with T Tgrav standing for the torque due to the ladder's 50.0-N weight. t; = tf + In The torques due to friction and the normal force are zero about O because their moment arms are zero. (Moment arms can be found from Figure (c).) From Equation (1), we now have f = P = 21.0 N. The ladder is on the verge of slipping, so write an expression for the maximum force of static friction and solve for . LEARN MORE 00 (50.0 N)(5.00 m) sin 40.0 + P(10.0 m) sin 50.0 = 0 P = 21.0 N 21.0 N = f = fs,max = sn = (50.0 N) = 21.0 N 50.0 N = 0.420 REMARKS Note that torques were computed around an axis through the bottom of the ladder so that only P and the force of gravity contributed nonzero torques. This choice of axis reduces the complexity of the torque equation, often resulting in an equation with only one unknown. QUESTION If a 50.0 N monkey hangs from the middle rung, the coefficient of static friction would be doubled, halved, or unchanged? doubled halved unchanged PRACTICE IT Use the worked example above to help you solve this problem. A uniform ladder 1 = 10.0 m long and weighing W = 50.4 N rests against a smooth vertical wall. If the ladder is just on the verge of slipping when it makes a 0 = 48.0 angle with the ground, find the coefficient of static friction between the ladder and ground. EXERCISE HINTS: GETTING STARTED | I'M STUCK! If the coefficient of static friction is 0.398, and the same ladder makes a 64.0 angle with respect to the horizontal, how far along the length of the ladder can a 71.4-kg painter climb before the ladder begins to slip? m