Ladder or rod with friction at both contacts

4. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} A uniform ladder, of weight \(W\) and length \(2 a\), rests in equilibrium with one end \(A\) on a smooth horizontal floor and the other end \(B\) on a rough vertical wall. The ladder is in a vertical plane perpendicular to the wall. The coefficient of friction between the wall and the ladder is \(\mu\). The ladder makes an angle \(\theta\) with the floor, where \(\tan \theta = 2\). A horizontal light inextensible string \(C D\) is attached to the ladder at the point \(C\), where \(A C = \frac { 1 } { 2 } a\). The string is attached to the wall at the point \(D\), with \(B D\) vertical, as shown in Fig. 2. The tension in the string is \(\frac { 1 } { 4 } W\). By modelling the ladder as a rod,

1. find the magnitude of the force of the floor on the ladder,
2. show that \(\mu \geqslant \frac { 1 } { 2 }\).
3. State how you have used the modelling assumption that the ladder is a rod.

The diagram shows a central cross-section \(C D E F\) of a uniform solid cube of weight \(k W\) with edges of length 4a. The cube rests on a rough horizontal floor. One of the vertical faces of the cube is parallel to a smooth vertical wall and at a distance \(5 a\) from it. A uniform ladder, of length \(10 a\) and weight \(W\), is represented by \(A B\). The ladder rests in equilibrium with \(A\) in contact with the rough top surface of the cube and \(B\) in contact with the wall. The distance \(A C\) is \(a\) and the vertical plane containing \(A B\) is perpendicular to the wall. The coefficients of friction between the ladder and the cube, and between the cube and the floor, are both equal to \(\mu\). A small dog of weight \(\frac { 1 } { 4 } W\) climbs the ladder and reaches the top without the ladder sliding or the cube turning about the edge through \(D\). Show that \(\mu \geqslant \frac { 4 } { 5 }\). Show that the cube does not slide whatever the value of \(k\). Find the smallest possible value of \(k\) for which equilibrium is not broken.

4. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} Figure 1 shows a uniform ladder of mass \(m\) and length \(2 a\) resting against a rough vertical wall with its lower end on rough horizontal ground. The coefficient of friction between the ladder and the wall is \(\frac { 1 } { 2 }\) and the coefficient of friction between the ladder and the ground is \(\frac { 1 } { 3 }\). Given that the ladder is in limiting equilibrium when it is inclined at an angle \(\theta\) to the horizontal, show that \(\tan \theta = \frac { 5 } { 4 }\).
(9 marks)

12 A uniform \(\operatorname { rod } A B\) has mass 5 kg and length 4 m .

1. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{09939c3a-7829-4784-8e6d-ee5356c22cd7-5_529_540_995_840} The rod rests with \(A\) on a rough plane that makes an angle of \(60 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal. A string is attached to \(B\) and the rod is in equilibrium in the vertical plane containing the line of greatest slope of the plane, with the string vertical and \(A B\) perpendicular to the plane (see diagram). Find the magnitude of the frictional force at \(A\) and the tension in the string.
2. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{09939c3a-7829-4784-8e6d-ee5356c22cd7-5_323_637_1850_794} The rod now rests horizontally with \(A\) in contact with a rough plane that makes an angle of \(60 ^ { \circ }\) with the horizontal and \(B\) in contact with a rough plane that makes an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) with the horizontal (see diagram). The rod and the lines of greatest slope of the two planes are all in the same vertical plane. The coefficients of friction at \(A\) and \(B\) are \(\mu _ { A }\) and \(\mu _ { B }\) respectively. Friction is limiting at both \(A\) and \(B\), with \(A\) on the point of slipping downwards. Show that \(\mu _ { B } = \frac { 1 - \alpha \mu _ { A } } { \alpha + \mu _ { A } }\) where \(\alpha\) is an irrational number to be found.