Two forces 6N and 8N, act eastwards and northwards respectively on a body. Calculate the magnitude of their equilibrant
Answer Details
When two forces act on a body, their resultant force can be calculated using vector addition. The equilibrant is the force required to balance the two forces and bring the body into a state of equilibrium. It has the same magnitude as the resultant force but acts in the opposite direction.
To calculate the equilibrant, we need to find the resultant force of the two given forces. We can do this by drawing a vector diagram or using trigonometry.
Using trigonometry, we can find the magnitude of the resultant force as follows:
\begin{align*}
F_{\text{resultant}} &= \sqrt{(6\text{N})^2 + (8\text{N})^2} \\
&= \sqrt{36\text{N}^2 + 64\text{N}^2} \\
&= \sqrt{100\text{N}^2} \\
&= 10\text{N}
\end{align*}
The equilibrant has the same magnitude as the resultant force but acts in the opposite direction. Therefore, the magnitude of the equilibrant is also 10N.
So, the correct answer is 10N.