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Unread 18-02-2002, 07:37
Kris Verdeyen's Avatar
Kris Verdeyen Kris Verdeyen is offline
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FRC #0118 (Robonauts)
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If you assume that the CG is in the center of the box, and that the box is at rest, wheel A will support more of the weight. You can do a quick free-body diagram to proove it to yourself. (See attached)

Notice that the forces balance, which is probably what your friends were thinking. But when you include the torques in the equation, the ground has to push on wheel a more than wheel b to keep the box from tipping.
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