Is Tension Constant in a Massless String?

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SUMMARY

Tension in a massless string remains constant throughout its length due to the absence of mass. When analyzing a segment of the string with mass Δm, the forces acting on it are T1 to the right and T2 to the left. The force equation T2 - T1 = Δma indicates that since Δm equals zero, T2 must equal T1. This confirms that tension is uniform across the entire length of the massless string.

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  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Basic knowledge of force equations
  • Familiarity with concepts of mass and acceleration
  • Comprehension of tension in physics
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  • Study the implications of massless objects in physics
  • Explore tension in non-massless strings and its variations
  • Learn about the role of acceleration in force equations
  • Investigate real-world applications of tension in engineering
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andyrk
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Why is tension in a massless string same throughout its length?
 
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andyrk said:
Why is tension in a massless string same throughout its length?

Consider a massless string being pulled horizontally towards right.

The forces acting on a tiny bit of the string having mass Δm will be T1 towards right and T2 towards left.The force equation will be T2-T1=Δma where 'a' is the acceleration of the tiny bit of the string .Now since Δm=0 ∴ T2=T1 i.e tension on either side of any arbitrary mass of the string is zero.In other words tension throughout the string is constant.
 

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