I Calculating Force Needed to Pull Bungee Taught

Thread starter fascinated
Start date Sep 26, 2021
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Bungee Force Pull

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To calculate the force needed to pull a bungee cord taut across a horizontal plane, one must consider the cord's weight and the principles of tension and sag. For a 1000-foot bungee weighing 9 pounds, achieving a perfectly taut state is theoretically impossible due to the inherent sag caused by gravity, which creates a catenary shape. The discussion highlights that even when stretched significantly, such as over 2640 feet, sag remains a significant issue. Alternatives like low-stretch materials, such as fishing line or piano wire, could reduce sag but would still not eliminate it entirely. Ultimately, achieving a perfectly horizontal line over long distances poses both mathematical and practical challenges.

Oct 4, 2021

berkeman

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fascinated said:

I wanted to keep going, but the wife got scared. We were next to a highway.

rbelli1 said:

Please don't try this. When this wire breaks it turns into an unpredictable flying Ginsu knife that could maim or kill someone.

fascinated said:

Private land owner... but who knows.

Okay, this has gone on long enough. There have been several reports of safety concerns in this thread, and not knowing the actual application prevents us from proposing safer alternatives. Thread will remain closed.

@fascinated -- if you need a long straight line, the laser is the way to go. Please keep laser safety considerations in mind, though, to ensure that nobody is exposed to laser light at any level that can cause eye damage.