Need help with a Pulley question

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In summary, the question is asking about the upper limit of weight a strongman can lift using a pulley system shown in a picture. The answer is that the upper limit would be his own weight, as long as his feet are not strapped to the floor and other factors such as the strength of the cable and fixture in the ceiling are ignored.
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Cenax Kikia
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Im having trouble with a question I have to answer, It's not so much the answer I want but I am having trouble understanding the wording of the question.. Its an open ended answer I need to try to write, but no numbers are involved. Here it is:

For the pulley system shown, what is the upper limit of weight the strongman can lift?

And the picture is of a Strongman pulling a rope, wrapped around a pulley that is attached to the celing, connected to a block that is on the ground.
 
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Provided his feet aren't strapped to the floor, the upper limit on what he could lift would be his own weight.

(This also assumes that we are ignoring the fact that the cable could snap under too much tension and that the fixture holding the pulley in the ceiling could break.)
 

1. How do pulleys work?

Pulleys are simple machines that consist of a wheel with a groove around its circumference and a rope or belt that runs through the groove. When a force is applied to one end of the rope, it creates a tension force that causes the wheel to rotate, thus transferring the force to the other end of the rope.

2. What are the different types of pulleys?

There are three main types of pulleys: fixed, movable, and compound. Fixed pulleys have a stationary axle and are used to change the direction of the force. Movable pulleys have a movable axle and are used to amplify the force. Compound pulleys combine fixed and movable pulleys to both change the direction and amplify the force.

3. How do I calculate the mechanical advantage of a pulley system?

The mechanical advantage of a pulley system is the ratio of the output force to the input force. To calculate it, divide the load (output force) by the effort (input force). For example, if your pulley system has a load of 100 pounds and an effort of 20 pounds, the mechanical advantage would be 5.

4. What are some practical applications of pulleys?

Pulleys have many practical applications in our daily lives. They are used in elevators to lift heavy loads, in cranes to move large objects, and in exercise equipment to create resistance. They are also used in sailing to hoist sails and in cars to operate windshield wipers and other mechanisms.

5. How can I make a simple pulley at home?

To make a simple pulley at home, you will need a spool, string or rope, and a heavy object. Tie one end of the string to the object and thread the other end through the spool. Tie the loose end of the string to a fixed point, such as a doorknob. Now, when you pull the string, the object will be lifted by the spool. You can also experiment with different numbers of pulleys to see how it affects the force required to lift the object.

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