Question

Explain the concept of stability and discuss how stability is maintained. Include in your discussion things such as acceleration, mass, base of support, and location of center gravity in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Lastly, discuss why taller individuals may or may not be more susceptible to less stability.

Answer 1

We start with the equilibrium state of a body. When the center of gravity of a body and the pivote point are i'm same line them the body is called in equilibrium. In this position the net force on the body and net torque about pivote point is zero so the body is in equilibrium.

But if a body is in equilibrium state, doesn't mean that the body is stable.

Since equilibrium is of three type : stable, unstable and neutral. We will talk about stable equilibrium i.e stability.

"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 to the direction of displacement."

Thus for small displacement stability can be maintained. Stability can also be maintained by increasing the width of base of support and also by lowering the center of gravity of a body towards the base of support.

If mass of a body is large then body has more moment of inertia so that it has less angular momentum. So that the body has more stability.

Now discussing about the taller object. Taller object are not more susceptible to less stability. Since as we know that if the center of gravity is near base of support increases the stability. And taller objects has more distance between center of gravity and ground but they are not less stable.

Because due to more length of center of gravity from ground, taller object has more time of period of oscillations and less angular velocity. So they can be managed easily than shorter individual.