Free Body Diagrams

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A Free Body Diagram (FBD) is a common first step to analyzing complex problems in physics and engineering. These diagrams allow you to simplify the problem by excluding all unnecessary details. To draw a FBD, first draw a simple representation of the object involved. Remove any supports, and draw forces acting on the body, including any reactions that the supports exerted on it. Use arrows to indicate the direction of force, and use hash marks to indicate where objects are fixed. Label these forces accordingly. An example is shown below.