FREE-BODY DIAGRAMS
Application of Newton's Laws
CP-04
Page 10
Rev. 0
Free-Body Diagram Summary
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A free-body diagram isolates a body and illustrates all the forces that act on the body
so that a complete and accurate account of all of those forces may be considered.
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Four steps must be performed to construct a free-body diagram:
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Determine the body or combination of bodies to be isolated.
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Isolate the body or combination of bodies with a diagram that represents the
complete external boundaries.
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Represent all forces that act on the isolated body in their proper positions
within the diagram.
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Indicate the choice of coordinate axes directly on the diagram.
Summary
The concept of the free-body diagram is summarized below.
