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A heavy ladder resting on floor and against a vertical wall may not be in equilibrium, if

  • When a ladder rests on a smooth horizontal surface and leans against a rough vertical wall.
  • As seen from the diagram, the lower end of the ladder will start moving horizontally due to the gravitational pull of the earth towards the ladder.
  • A heavy ladder resting on the floor and against a vertical wall may not be in equilibrium if the floor and wall both are smooth surfaces.
  • As the surface is smooth, there would be no frictional force on the smooth horizontal surface.
  • But as the ladder moves horizontally, the upper end of the ladder starts moving down and this motion of the ladder down will be opposed by a frictional force in the upward direction as the wall is rough.