Enter the mass of the objects at both ends of the beam into the calculator to determine the support force.

Support Force Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Support Force.

SF = (M1+M2)*g

  • Where SF is the support force (N)
  • M1 is the mass of object 1 (kg)
  • M2 is the mass of object 2 (kg)
  • g is the acceleration due to gravity (m/s^2)

To calculate a support force, add together the masses at either end of the beam/lever and then multiply by the acceleration due to gravity.

What is a Support Force?

Definition:

A support force measures the total force acting at the support or pivot point of a beam/lever system. Typically, this system is at equilibrium and has different masses at either end of the beam.

How to Calculate Support Force?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate the Support Force.

First, determine the mass of object 1 . In this example, the mass of object 1 is found to be 30kg.

Next, determine the mass of object 2. For this problem, the mass of object 2 is found to be 10kg.

Finally, calculate the Support Force using the formula above:

SF = (M1+M2)*g

SF = (30+10)*9.81

SF = 392.4 N