Monkey in an Elevator: Calculating Tension & Acceleration

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 3K views
syavian1019
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
A 17.0 kg monkey hangs from a cord suspended from the ceiling of an elevator.The cord can withstand a tension of 220 N and breaks as the elevator accelerates.

(A) What was the elevator’s maximum acceleration before the cord breaks?

(B) What is the tension in the string if the elevator accelerates with the same magnitude but opposite direction?

--------​

I got (A) as 3.14, I just don't know how to approach (B).

Thanks in advance!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
What direction is the opposite direction?

What net force on the monkey would be required to have that acceleration?

What forces are acting on the monkey?
 
Remember that acceleration has units. 3.14 elephants per coulomb would have the same numerical value, but not the same meaning.

Besides that, the questions posted by Nathanael should point you in the right direction.