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AP Physics C: Mechanics
5.5 Rotational Equilibrium and Newton’s First Law in Rotational Form
5.3 Torque
IntermediateMCQGraphicalProportional Analysis15.2k
A horizontal beam of uniform thickness extends horizontally from a left pillar at x = 0 to a right pillar at x = L. Two narrow vertical rectangular pillars support the beam from below at its left and right ends. A person, represented as a simple stylized figure, stands on the top surface of the beam at a distance x from the left end. A horizontal coordinate axis runs parallel below the beam with tick marks labeled x = 0 at the left pillar and x = L at the right pillar. A double-headed horizontal arrow indicates the distance x from the left end to the person. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
A worker walking across a supported uniform horizontal beam.
A uniform horizontal beam of length \(L\) and mass \(M\) is supported at its two ends by vertical pillars at \(x = 0\) and \(x = L\). A worker of mass \(m\) walks along the beam from \(x = 0\) to \(x = L\). In each graph, the solid curve represents the magnitude of the normal force \(F_1\) exerted by the pillar at \(x = 0\), and the dashed curve represents the magnitude of the normal force \(F_2\) exerted by the pillar at \(x = L\). Which of the following graphs best represents \(F_1\) and \(F_2\) as functions of the worker's position \(x\)?

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