Equal Forces in Tug of War: Shared vs Separate Lines

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter ThatDudePursley
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mechanics of a tug of war scenario involving multiple trucks connected by tow lines. Participants explore whether using separate lines for each truck affects the overall force exerted compared to a single line configuration, examining the implications of these setups on the forces involved.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether the three trucks connected by separate lines would still provide a combined force advantage over a single truck, suggesting they might work against each other.
  • Another participant seeks clarification on whether the trucks are on the same line and how that might affect the forces acting on each truck.
  • A later reply asserts that there is no difference between connecting trucks in series with separate lines versus a single line, but acknowledges that both configurations could lead to the trucks working against each other.
  • One participant argues that in both scenarios, the forces from the three trucks would add together, but notes that the tension in a shared line would need to be stronger due to the combined forces.
  • There is a discussion about the stretch in the lines being different depending on whether they are shared or separate, but the fundamental force equation remains the same.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the configuration of lines (separate vs. shared) affects the forces exerted by the trucks. No consensus is reached, and multiple competing perspectives remain on the implications of each setup.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations include assumptions about the forces exerted by the trucks being equal and the potential effects of line stretch on the overall mechanics. The discussion does not resolve these aspects.

ThatDudePursley
Im curious as to if i took 3 trucks, put them in a single file line all facing the same direction. Then hooked up a tow line from truck 1 to truck 2. Then from truck 2 to truck 3.

Then if i took a 4th truck and hooked it to the back of truck 3 facing the opposite direction. Almost like tug of war. 3 vs 1.

Since the 3 trucks on the one side are all using separate lines rather than one like similar to tug of war with people would that still triple the strength for that side giving them the advantage over the lone truck they are tugging against? I feel like they would just be almost working against each other because they are not on the same line. Please help.
 
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ThatDudePursley said:
Then hooked up a tow line from truck 1 to truck 2. Then from truck 2 to truck 3.
ThatDudePursley said:
all using separate lines

This is not clear, at all. Are they all on the same line or not? Does it make any difference?
What do you think about it? Do the forces from each truck affect the forces on the others? Why?
 
sophiecentaur said:
This is not clear, at all. Are they all on the same line or not? Does it make any difference?
What do you think about it? Do the forces from each truck affect the forces on the others? Why?
They are not using the same line. Ill add an illustration to try and make it a little more clear. Hopefully that helps clarify.
 

Attachments

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ThatDudePursley said:
img_1955-png.png
There is no difference between lines connecting trucks in series vs trucks attached along to one straight line.

ThatDudePursley said:
I feel like they would just be almost working against each other...
This can happen in both variants you proposed, because both have the trucks in series. To avoid that you arrange the trucks in parallel, each attached to the left truck with it's own line.
 
In both cases, the forces 1,2,3 will add together. The only difference between the two situations is that the tension in a shared line between 3 and 4 will be equal to all three forces from 1,2 and 3. The line would need to be stronger.
@ThatDudePursley: Do you have any reason to suspect that the two situations will be any different? We have to assume that the trucks are actually exerting the same forces whether connected by the same or separate lines. The stretch in the line will be different, of course, and the positions of the three trucks will depend on the others when the line is shared. Where the trucks are connected by separate lines, the stretch will be less. But the basic F4 = F1+F2+F3 still applies. Why wouldn't it?
 

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