Summarizing Stability
Summary
- A system is said to be in stable equilibrium if, when displaced from equilibrium, it experiences a net force or torque in a direction opposite the direction of the displacement.
- A system is in unstable equilibrium if, when displaced from equilibrium, it experiences a net force or torque in the same direction as the displacement from equilibrium.
- A system is in neutral equilibrium if its equilibrium is independent of displacements from its original position.
Glossary
neutral equilibrium
a state of equilibrium that is independent of a system’s displacements from its original position
stable equilibrium
a system, when displaced, experiences a net force or torque in a direction opposite to the direction of the displacement
unstable equilibrium
a system, when displaced, experiences a net force or torque in the same direction as the displacement from equilibrium
This lesson is part of:
Statics and Torque
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