Determine the magnitude of the tension in the clotheline

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves determining the magnitude of the tension in a clotheline that is attached to two poles, with a pulley rolling down to the middle of the line. The setup includes specific measurements regarding the distance between the poles and the height of the pulley.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to use a right triangle to relate the dimensions of the setup to the forces involved, but questions arise regarding the calculations leading to a tension value that differs from expected results. Another participant suggests a relationship involving angles and forces to derive the tension.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different methods to approach the problem. Guidance has been offered regarding the relationship between tension and the angles involved, but no consensus has been reached on the correct approach or solution.

Contextual Notes

There is a potential misunderstanding regarding the application of the Pythagorean theorem and the relationship between the forces acting on the pulley. The original poster's calculations and the expected answer suggest a need for clarification on the assumptions made in the problem setup.

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Homework Statement


a single clotheline is attached to two poles 10 m apart. A pulley with a mass of 294N/Fg rolls down to the middle of the line. the middle is 0.4 m below each end. Determine the magnitude of the tension in the clotheline.


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I have made a right angle triangle and then used the ratios 0.4 and 5 m to find the force of the adjacent side of the triangle. then i use the given 294N and the adjacent 3675N in the pythagorean theorem. i get 3686.74N but the answer is 1800N rounded. which is half of my answer.
 
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Hi stateofdogma, welcome to PF.
Since the pulley is free to move on the cloth line, tension in the two segments of the cloth line must be the same. It θ is the angle between the vertical and the segment, then
2*T*cosθ = mg.
Here cosθ = 0.4/5. mg is given. find T.
 
Thanks for the homework help.
 
this is a question which i figured out on my second try. two burger patties, in contact with each other are being pushed across a grill. the masses are 113g and 139g, a force of 0.0538N is used on the larger patty. I figured out the acceleration was 0.213m/s^2 by dividing the force by the masses. But the second part asks for the magnitude of the force exerted by each of the burger on the other. the answer is the acceleration multiplied by the 113g which is 0.0241N. the problem is i don't understand why
thanks in advance
 
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