Dynamic equilibrium simple refers to the physical system moving with a constant uniform velocity where net force and torque acting on the system will be zero.
In our daily life, we encounter many systems moving with constant velocity. Such dynamic equilibrium examples are listed below.
- Earth’s rotation
- Raindrops
- Soft drinks
- A constantly rotating fan
- Water sink
- Aircraft
- Balance scale
- Vehicles moving in the traffic
- A room full of static air
- Filling the water to the bucket with a hole
- A diver jumped from the plane
- Rotation of the second needle of the clock
- Bowling ball
- A coconut falling from the tree
- Constructing bridges and buildings
A detailed explanation of dynamic equilibrium examples
Any physical system possessing dynamic equilibrium, the linear acceleration and the angular acceleration will be so that the net force acting on the system is zero, obeying Newton’s second law of motion. The detailed explanation above listed dynamic equilibrium is given in this section.
Earth’s rotation
Earth rotates on its axis, and also it revolves around the sun with constant velocity, so rotation of the earth is said to be a system of dynamic equilibrium. If the earth’s rotational velocity is not constant, then the concept of 24 hours for a day and 365 days for a year would be a contradiction.
Raindrops
The raindrop reaches the earth from the cloud at a certain velocity. The speed of the raindrop increases while reaching the earth is only because of the acceleration due to gravity. Each drop of rain moves with the same velocity. Due to air resistance and friction, the increase in speed of the raindrop is balanced to achieve constant velocity. So that raindrop attains the equilibrium condition. Thus raindrops are considered as one of the dynamic equilibrium examples.
Soft drinks
If you open any chilled soft drink bottle like coco-cola, the drink will rise up by making some hisss sound. This is because soft drinks consist of carbon dioxide in both aqueous and gas forms. Before opening the bottle, the gaseous carbon dioxide and the aqueous carbon dioxide are balanced by the dynamic equilibrium. As soon as the bottle seal opened, the gaseous carbon dioxide dissolved in liquid carbon dioxide and spilt out of the bottle with bubbles.
Read more on static equilibrium
A constantly rotating fan
A fan rotating with constant velocity is one of the excellent dynamic equilibrium examples. When the fan is rotating with constant velocity, the angular acceleration and the torque acting on the fan are nullified, thus balanced by the dynamic equilibrium.
Read more on comparison between Dynamic equilibrium vs Static equilibrium
Water sink
The dynamic equilibrium in some contests is also defined as the amount of substance entering the system must be equal to the amount of substance leaving the system. The water sink is one among such dynamic equilibrium examples. When you simply open the faucet, the water comes out, and it leaves through the drain. The amount of water coming out of the faucet and amount of water draining is equal, and it is proportional to the height of the water standing on the sink. The water stands in the sink until the amount of water entering the water become equal to the amount leaving through the drain. This situation seems static, but it is a dynamic equilibrium.
Aircraft
The aircraft flying in the sky is the best dynamic equilibrium example. The four forces balance the successful flying of aircraft; the first one is lift acting in the upward direction of the plane and the force of gravity acting downward, the thrust acting as a forward force, and the air drag is acting as the backward force. These four forces balance each other to set the equilibrium condition. Since the aircraft is under constant motion, thus the equilibrium is dynamic.
Read more on Dynamic equilibrium
Balance scale
To weigh the things, we use a balance scale. This balance scale works only in equilibrium conditions. If you put an object at one of the platforms of the balance scale and you need to put the same amount of material on another platform of the scale to weigh correctly. When the weights at both platforms become equal, the scale achieves the dynamic equilibrium.
Vehicles moving in the traffic.
If you have ever been stuck in traffic, you would have felt the dynamic equilibrium. The vehicles in the traffic usually move with constant velocity. If the traffic is on the bridge or flyover, the number of the vehicle entering the bridge and living the bridge will be equal. Thus vehicles in the traffic are under dynamic equilibrium.
Read more on Dynamic equilibrium of a system
A room full of static air
The static air is one of the best dynamic equilibrium examples. The static air causes each particle in the air to move with constant velocity; thus, the whole room will be under dynamic equilibrium as there is no flux in the room. The room will be in dynamic equilibrium with respect to the particle’s movement.
Read more on Examples of Dynamic equilibrium
Filling the water to the bucket with a hole
If you try to fill the water in a bucket having a hole, the bucket will be in dynamic equilibrium. As you fill the water, it will flow out of the bucket through the hole.
A diver jumped from the plane.
If a parachute driver just jumped out of the plane, he will be accelerated due to gravity. The two forces influence the diver; the force of gravity makes the diver accelerate downward while the airlift makes the diver move upward. Thus the diver achieves the constant velocity and hence sets the dynamic equilibrium examples.
Rotation of the second needle of the clock
The second needle in the clock rotates continuously. The continuous rotation of the second needles is the best dynamic equilibrium examples because the second needle moves with constant angular velocity; thus, the torque and the angular acceleration will be zero.
Bowling ball
A Bowling ball is a game of rolling the ball on the ramp that hits the pin. The moving the balls are dynamic equilibrium examples because the ramp is frictionless, so the ball attains the constant velocity so that the net force will be zero as the acceleration is nullified.
A coconut falling from the tree
When the coconut falls from the tree, the coconut’s velocity is due to gravity. When the coconut just begins to fall, the coconut will be under dynamic equilibrium. The coconut attains dynamic equilibrium because the two forces influence the coconut while falling. The upward force balances the downward force to acquire equilibrium conditions to zero net force.
Constructing bridges and buildings
The construction of hall buildings and the bridges are the best dynamic equilibrium examples as the engineers use the dynamic equilibrium condition in construction. While constructing, all the forces need to be balanced to keep the stead of the building. The structure of the building is balanced against the applied force; thus, dynamic equilibrium is exerted.
Read more about 7 Interesting System In Equilibrium Examples.
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I am Keerthi K Murthy, I have completed post graduation in Physics, with the specialization in the field of solid state physics. I have always consider physics as a fundamental subject which is connected to our daily life. Being a science student I enjoy exploring new things in physics. As a writer my goal is to reach the readers with the simplified manner through my articles.