Question

a meter stick is hung from a string tied at the 25cm mark. A 0.50-kg object is hung From the zero end of the meter stick, and the meterstick is balanced horizontally. What is the mass of the meterstick? (a) 0.25kg, (b) 0.5kg (c) 0.75kg (d) 1.0 kg (e) 2.0kg (f) impossible to determine

Answer 1

Impossible to determine

Answer 2

Let m₁ = 0.25m and m₂ = 0.75m, where m is the mass of the meterstick:

The sum of all torques must be zero:
τ = 12.5 * m₁ + 25 * 0.5 - 37.5 * m₂ = 0

Replace m₁ and m₂:
12.5 * 0.25m + 25 * 0.5 = 37.5 * 0,75m

Solve for m:
3.125m + 12.5 = 28.125
25m = 12.5
m = 0.5