static equilibrium
Forces cancel out
Static equilibrium is the state of a body at rest when all forces acting on it are balanced—no net force, no motion.
A book on a table, a bridge under load, a person standing still: each maintains static equilibrium because opposing forces cancel out.
The term contrasts with dynamic equilibrium, where balance is maintained during motion.
Rotational force measurement
- fulcrumLever's balance point
- leverPivoting bar for lifting
- beamStructural support member
- cantileverBeam supported one end
truss · moment · pivot · load · dead load · live load · reaction force · free body diagram
Objects keep their velocity
- free body diagramSketch of forces on object
- constraintsLimits on action
- degrees of freedomNumber of independent variables
Steadiness or amount owed
- steadinessState of being constant
- center of gravityEquilibrium point of mass
- tipping pointThreshold triggering major change
- weight distributionHow mass is allocated
Stretched or strained state
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- normal forcePerpendicular surface contact force
- shearLateral sliding force
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
Structure spanning an obstacle
- archCurved spanning structure
- columnVertical structural element
- foundationUnderlying support structure
- buttressArchitectural wall reinforcement
scaffold · frame · girder · load-bearing wall · suspension · abutment · keystone · span
torque
Rotational force measurement
cantilever · truss · moment · pivot · load · dead load · live load · reaction force · free body diagram · rigid body
Newton's first law
Objects keep their velocity
- free body diagramSketch of forces on object
- constraintsLimits on action
- degrees of freedomNumber of independent variables
balance
Steadiness or amount owed
- steadinessState of being constant
- center of gravityEquilibrium point of mass
- tipping pointThreshold triggering major change
weight distribution · counterbalance · equipoise · rest position
tension
Stretched or strained state
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- normal forcePerpendicular surface contact force
- shearLateral sliding force
friction · gravitational force · net force · opposing forces
bridge
Structure spanning an obstacle
- archCurved spanning structure
- columnVertical structural element
- foundationUnderlying support structure
buttress · scaffold · frame · girder · load-bearing wall · suspension · abutment · keystone · span · structural integrity
- equilibriumbalance, steady state, stasis, stability, poise
- staticsforce, forces, moment, torque, free body diagram
- vectorsvector field, resultant, magnitude, direction, component
- physics problemsacceleration, momentum, kinematics, dynamics, projectile motion
static equilibriummotion
Change in position
movement · kinetic energy · acceleration · velocity · flux
static equilibriumdisequilibrium
Lack of balance or stability
imbalance · instability · perturbation · disruption · chaos
static, equilibrium, statics, disequilibrium, statically, equilibria, equilibrated, equilibrating