Question

A circular table has a radius of 1m and mass 20 kg. It has 4 legs of 1 m each fixed symmetrically on its circumference. The maximum weight which can be placed anywhere on this table without toppling it is

• A. 84.3 kg
• B. 34.8 kg
• C. 48.3kg
• D. 43.8kg

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

48.3kg

Answer 2

Let the weight W be placed on the nearer edge.

Distance between two adjacent legs,

d = $\sqrt { 2 }$ × 1 = $\sqrt { 2 }$ × 1 = $\sqrt { 2 }$ m

Then mg × 1 = (20g + mg) × $\frac { \sqrt { 2 } } { 2 }$

or mg = $\frac { 20 g } { \sqrt { 2 } - 1 }$

= 20( $\sqrt { 2 }$ + 1)g

or mg = 48.3 g kg

or m = 48.3 kg