Find the distance to a buttress balance
Two cargos weighing and are hanging on the left and right ends of a homogenous toggle, respectively. The toggle is meters long and weighs
Find the distance (in meters) from the left cargo to the buttress of the balance.
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Let the position of the left 1 kg cargo be at 0 . Then the center of gravity of the two cargoes and the toggle is
1 + 3 + 2 1 ⋅ 0 + 3 ⋅ 6 + 2 ⋅ 1 2 = 7
Think of a plank 1 2 meters long weighing 3 kg balanced on a supporting point, with a 1 kg weight on left end and a 2 kg weight on the right end. Where is the supporting point, relative to the left end?