Tension - AP Physics 1

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Question

A 10kg block is suspended by two ropes. Each rope makes an angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal.

What is the magnitude of the tension force in each rope?

Answer

Luckily enough, the angles of the two ropes are the same. Therefore, the tension in each will be the same. This immediately eliminates two of the five answers. Now we just need to calculate what that force is.

We know that together, the vertical components of the tension must equal the weight of the block. Therefore we can write:

Since we know that the two tension forces are equal, we can rewrite:

Rearranging for T, we get:

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Question

Consider the following system:

Slope_2

If the mass is and , what is the tension, ? Assume no frictional forces.

Answer

Since there is no friction between the mass and slope, there are only two relevant forces acting on the mass: gravity and tension. Furthermore, since the block is not in motion, we know that these forces are equal to each other. Therefore:

Substituting in an expression for the force of gravity, we get:

We know all of these values, allowing us to solve for the tension:

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Question

Consider the following system:

Slope_2

If the force of tension is , the force of static friction is , the block has a mass of , and the block is motionless, what is the angle ?

Answer

There are three relevant forces acting on the block in this scenario: friction, tension, and gravity. We are given two of these values, so we simply need to develop an expression for the force of gravity in the direction of the slope. Since the block is motionless, we can write:

Substituting in an expression for the force of gravity, we get:

Rearrange to solve for the angle:

We know all of these values, allowing us to solve:

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Question

Consider the following system:

Slope_2

If the coefficient of static friction is , the angle measures , the force of tension is , and the block is motionless, what is the mass of the block?

Answer

There are three relevant forces acting on the block in this scenario: tension, friction, and gravity. We are given tension, so we will need to develop expressions for friction and gravity. Since the block is motionless, we can say:

Plugging in expressions for the force of gravity and friction, we get:

Rearranging for the mass, we get:

We know all of these values, allowing us to solve:

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Question

Consider the following system:

Slope_2

If the block has a mass of and the angle measures , what is the minimum value of the coefficient of static friction that will result in a tension of ?

Answer

Since there is no tension, there are only two relevant forces acting on the block: friction and gravity. Since the block is motionless, we can also write:

Substitute the expressions for these two forces:

Canceling out mass and gravitational acceleration, and rearranging for the coefficient of static friction, we get:

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Question

Consider the following system:

Slope_2

If the mass is accelerating at a rate of , the angle measures , the mass of the block is , and the coefficient of kinetic friction is , what is the tension ?

Answer

There are three relevant forces acting on the block in this situtation: friction, gravity, and tension. We can use Newton's second law to express the system:

Substituting expressions in for the forces, we get:

Canceling out mass and rearranging to solve for tension, we get:

We have values for each variable, allowing us to solve:

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Question

A block weighing is hanging from a string. Bruce begins applying a force up on the block. What is the force of tension in the string?

Answer

The block has three forces on it: the force of tension, the force of gravity, and the force from Bruce. The force of gravity is:

The force from Bruce plus the force of tension has to equal gravity (since Bruce's force and tension are up while gravity is down) so the block is in equilibrium.

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Question

Vt physics ramp pulley problem

A 12kg block is sliding down a incline with an acceleration of as shown in the diagram. If the coefficient of kinetic friction of block 1 on the ramp is 0.18, what is the mass of block 2?

Answer

In order to find the mass of block 2, we're going to need to calculate a few other things, such as the tension in the rope.

To begin with, we'll need to identify the various forces on our free-body diagram. To do this, we will begin with block 1 and use a rotated coordinate system to simplify things. In such a system, the x-axis will run parallel to the surface of the ramp, while the y-axis will be perpendicular to the ramp's surface, as shown below:

Vt physics ramp pulley problem rotated coordinatesVt physics ramp pulley problem free body diagram

Now we can identify the forces acting on block 1. Along the rotated y-axis, the force of gravity acting on the block is equal to , and the force of the ramp on the block is just the normal force, . Since block 1 is not moving in the y direction, we can set these two forces equal to each other.

Now, considering the forces acting along the rotated x-axis, we have a force pointing downwards equal to . Pointing upwards, we have the tension force and we also have the frictional force, .

The formula for calculating the force due to kinetic friction is:

Since we have already determined what the normal force is, we can substitute that expression into the above equation to obtain:

Now, we can write an expression for the net force acting upon block 1 in the x direction:

Rearrange the above expression to solve for tension.

So far, we have only been looking at block 1. Now let's turn our attention to block 2 and see what forces are acting on it. In the downward direction we have the weight of the block due to gravity, which is equal to . In the upward direction, as we can see in the diagram, we have the tension of the rope, . We need to write an expression that tells us the net force acting upon block 2.

Since we calculated the expression for tension from the information regarding block 1, we can plug that expression into the above equation in order to obtain:

Now rearrange to solve for the mass of block 2.

Then plugging in values, we can finally calculate block 2's mass:

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Question

What is the tension force on a wire holding a 10kg ball 20ft above the ground, if the ball is not moving at that height?

Answer

Since the gravitational force must be cancelled by the tension force, as the ball is experiencing no acceleration, and no other forces are being applied to it:

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Question

An elevator accelerates upward for a short period of time at a rate of . A mass of is hung by a rope from the top of the elevator.

During the period when the elevator is accelerating, what is the magnitude of the tension in the rope?

Answer

Elevator tension

Here is a (simplistic) diagram of the elevator. There are three forces acting on this object. There is it's own weight due to gravity ; the tension in the rope holding it up, which we will call ; and there is an external force due to the fact that the elevator is accelerating upward. Since the mass is fixed, it has zero velocity with respect to the elevator, and therefore the net force on the mass is 0 by Newton's 2nd law. The net force is given by . Solving this equation for and plugging in the values gives us:

Since we want the magnitude of the tension, and not the value of the vector, we omit the minus sign. Therefore the tension in the rope is , as desired.

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Question

A helicopter is lifting a box of mass with a rope. The helicopter and box are accelerating upward at . Determine the tension in the rope.

Answer

Plug in values:

Solve for

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Question

Earth mass:

Earth's distance from the Sun:

Velocity of the Earth:

Imagine that, instead of gravity, the earth was attached to the sun with a giant, unbreakable rope. Determine what the tension would be in the rope.

Answer

The velocity of the earth is

Convert to :

Plug in values:

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Question

Suppose that a object is lifted upwards while hanging to a rope. If the object accelerates upwards at a rate of , what is the tension in the rope?

Answer

For this question, we're presented with a scenario in which an object of a given mass is hanging to a rope. That rope is being pulled on, causing the object to accelerate upwards at a certain rate. We're then asked to calculate the tension that results in the rope.

In order to answer this question, it's best if we approach this by examining a force diagram. Since there are no pertinent forces occurring in the x direction, the only concern we have is in the y direction.

One of the forces acting on the object is the downward force of gravity. Another force is the upward tension caused by the rope. Hence, we know what force components contribute to the net force. Furthermore, we're told that as it is pulled up, the object accelerates at a rate of . Since this is the net acceleration in the y direction, we can determine the net force in the y direction.

Next, we can rearrange the above terms in order to isolate the term for tension.

Finally, if we plug in the values that we know, we can calculate our answer.

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Question

Two objects of equivalent mass are attached with a very strong rope that goes through a pulley. The masses are left to hang. What will happen?

Answer

The masses will each provide an equal force to each other through the rope. Thus, there will be no net force and no net acceleration.

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Question

Four ropes are used to lift a car with a vertical acceleration of . Determine the tension in an individual rope.

Answer

Using superposition of forces and definition of force:

All four ropes will be providing the same force.

Combining equations

Solving for , the force of tension in one rope:

Plugging in values, remembering that gravity is pointing down and thus will be a negative number.

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Question

Suppose that a person is pulling a box tied to a string across the ground, as shown in the diagram below.

Vt physics 11 25 15 moving box

If the string is situated at an angle of with respect to the horizontal and the coefficient of kinetic friction of the box with respect to the ground is , what tension in the string is necessary so that the box moves at a constant speed?

Answer

To answer this question, we need to separately consider the component forces acting in the horizontal and vertical direction.

First, let's consider the vertical component. Since the box is only moving in the horizontal direction, we know that there are no net forces acting in the vertical direction. Consequently, the net force in the y-direction is zero.

Next, let's look at the forces acting in the horizontal direction. Since we need to figure out the force in the string necessary to make the box move at a constant speed, we're looking for a situation in which the box is not accelerating in the horizontal direction. Thus, we're looking for a case in which the net force in the x-direction is zero.

Now, let's rewrite the expression for the force of kinetic friction.

Now, plugging in the expression for the normal force, we obtain the following.

Next, let's go ahead and plug in the values given to us in the question stem.

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Question

A toy is held to a hook on the ceiling with fishing line, determine the tension in the line.

Answer

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Question

A toy if being lifted to the ceiling at by a fishing line. Determine the tension in the line.

Answer

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Question

A crane is used to lift a safe of mass at . Determine the tension in the cable between the crane and the safe.

Answer

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Question

A string is used to hold up a rock. The nickel is swaying back and forth. At the bottom of the swing, the rock is moving at . Determine the tension in string at this time.

Answer

The swinging back and forth motion is a part of a circle, thus

Combining equations

There will be the force of gravity and the string acting on the coin

Solving for tension:

Converting and plugging in values:

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