Finding cable tension for a suspended speaker

8 replies · 3K views · last reply
pemby
1. The problem statement, all variables, and given/known data
Free-body style diagram of a loudspeaker hanging from a horizontal ceiling by two cables meeting at a point above it, each cable making angle θ with the ceiling; vertical dashed line labelled h, and cable length labelled l.

Homework Equations


Assuming standard coordinates, Net forces in the x plane are 0, by
Two force-balance equations written by hand for a suspended object: x-direction net force equals minus T1 cos theta plus T2 cos theta equals 0 N, and y-direction net force equals T1 sin theta plus T2 sin theta minus w equals 0 N.


The Attempt at a Solution



I have worked out that

[tex]\arcsin { \left( \frac { 1.4 }{ 3.1 } \right) } =\quad 26.8{ 5 }°\\ loud\quad speaker\quad =\quad wg\quad =\quad 166.77\quad N\\ 2T\sin { \left( 26.8{ 5 }° \right) \quad =\quad 166.77 } N\\ T\quad =\quad 84.2824[/tex]

Masteringphysics returning with an incorrect solution response and is giving me this piece of information.

Boxed answer reading T = 84.2874 N, followed by a hint saying this would be correct only if the speaker hung straight down, and the cables must be considered at an angle to the ceiling.


I do not understand what this error implies.
I have tried;

[tex]\\ T\sin { \left( 26.8{ 5 }° \right) \quad =\quad 166.77 } N\\ \\ \\ T\sin { \left( \frac { 1 }{ 2 } 26.8{ 5 }° \right) \quad =\quad 166.77 } N\\ \\ T2\sin { \left( 26.8{ 5 }° \right) \quad =\quad \frac { 166.77\quad N }{ 2 } }[/tex]
 
Attachments
  • Free-body style diagram of a loudspeaker hanging from a horizontal ceiling by two cables meeting at a point above it, each cable making angle θ with the ceiling; vertical dashed line labelled h, and cable length labelled l.
    ip6TZvn.png
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  • Two force-balance equations written by hand for a suspended object: x-direction net force equals minus T1 cos theta plus T2 cos theta equals 0 N, and y-direction net force equals T1 sin theta plus T2 sin theta minus w equals 0 N.
    Clxg7wc.png
    4.7 KB · Views: 904
  • Boxed answer reading T = 84.2874 N, followed by a hint saying this would be correct only if the speaker hung straight down, and the cables must be considered at an angle to the ceiling.
    xI11CSA.png
    14.6 KB · Views: 535
Sorry, can you expand a bit more? I understand the difference but not in the context of this question.
 
haruspex said:
What value did you get for that?
0.438371146789077417452734540658265739062755719988552114431
 
pemby said:
0.438371146789077417452734540658265739062755719988552114431
Then I do not see how you could have got that final answer. You had
pemby said:
2Tsin(26.85°)=166.77N
Maybe you halved twice?
 
Thanks. it was reading my degrees as radians. I tricked my self by not double checking!
 
pemby said:
Thanks. it was reading my degrees as radians. I tricked my self by not double checking!
OK.

Btw, you can often avoid figuring out the angle. In the present case, you wanted sin(θ), which is h/l, so the accurate answer is 17g*3.1/(2*1.4).