A crane lowers a 600kg generator by attaching 4 cables to it at an angle of 67° compared to the horizontal. The generator moves at a rate of -2.12m/s². How much tension is on each cable?

1 Answer
Feb 29, 2016

=1253.12N rounded to 2 places of decimal

Explanation:

mycomputermycomputer

See figure above.

Let T be the tension in each cable. Assuming all cables to be similar. Each cable is making an angle of 67^@ with the horizontal.

The vertical upward component of tension in each cable=Tsin 67^@
=0.92050T
Total vertical upward component of tension in all 4 cables=4xx0.92050T
=3.6820T

The generator is being acted upon by two forces.
1. Weight given by g=9.81ms^-2
2. Downward acceleration =-2.12ms^-2

As the downward acceleration is in the direction of gravity hence net downward force is given by=9.81-2.12=7.69ms^-2

Net downward force =mxxa=600xx7.69=4614N

Equating the total vertical tension with net downward force we obtain
3.6820T=4614
or T=1253.12N rounded to 2 places of decimal