How to Calculate the Force Exerted on a Coupler by a Ball on a Single-Axle Trailer

Question:

How can we determine the magnitude of the force exerted on the coupler by the ball for a stationary, unloaded single-axle trailer?

Answer:

The expression for the magnitude of the force exerted on the coupler by the ball can be found using the concept of torque.

Explanation:

The expression for the magnitude of the force exerted on the coupler by the ball, in terms of the defined quantities and g, for the stationary, unloaded trailer can be found using the concept of torque. Torque is calculated by multiplying the perpendicular distance of the force from the axis of rotation by the magnitude of the force. In this case, the torque exerted on the coupler by the ball is equal to the weight of the trailer multiplied by the distance between the coupler and the trailer's center of mass.

Torque = Weight of the trailer x Perpendicular distance between the coupler and the center of mass of the trailer

T = mT * g * γT