Equilibrium: a Stepladder Consists of Two Halves, Hinged at the Top

question 86

Multiple Choice

Equilibrium: A stepladder consists of two halves, hinged at the top, and connected by a tie rod that keeps the two halves from spreading apart. In this particular instance, the two halves are 2.50 m long, the tie rod is connected to the center of each half and is 70.0 cm long. An 800-N person stands 3/5 of the way up the stepladder, as shown in the figure. Neglecting the weight of the ladder, and assuming that the ladder is resting on a smooth floor, what is the tension in the tie rod? Note: To solve this problem you must "cut" the ladder in half and consider the equilibrium of forces and torques acting on each half of the ladder.

• A) 140 N
• B) 240 N
• C) 280 N
• D) 360 N
• E) 560 N

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