Solve Pulley Problem: Force Magnitudes & Ceiling Force

In summary, the problem involves a man in a bosun's chair with a massless rope and pulley system. The man and chair have a combined mass of 89.6 kg and the question asks for the force magnitude needed for the man to rise with constant velocity and upward acceleration of 1.41 m/s2. The tension in the rope must be twice the force needed to lift the man and chair, or 439.04 N for constant velocity and 502.208 N for upward acceleration. For the co-worker to pull the man up, the tension must be 878.08 N for constant velocity and 1004.416 N for upward acceleration. The force on the ceiling from the pulley system is
  • #1
csquared5
6
0
Ok, here is the problem:

A man is sitting in a bosun's chair that dangles from a massless rope, which runs over a massless, frictionless pulley and back down to the man's hand. The combined mass of man and chair is 89.6 kg. With what force magnitude must the man pull on the rope if he is to rise (a) with a constant velocity and (b) with an upward acceleration of 1.41 m/s2? (Hint: A free-body diagram can really help.) If the rope on the right extends to the ground and is pulled by a co-worker, with what force magnitude must the co-worker pull for the man to rise (c) with a constant velocity and (d) with an upward acceleration of 1.41 m/s2? What is the magnitude of the force on the ceiling from the pulley system in (e) part a (f) part b, (g) part c, and (h) part d?

So I'm getting (a), (b), (c), (d), and (g) right, but I can't figure out how to go (e), (f), and (g)

For (a), I'm using 2Ftension=m(g+a), a being 0, and getting 439.04
For (b), I'm using 2Ftension=m(g+a), a being 1.41, and getting 502.208
For (c), it's 2x (a), which is 878.08
For (d), it's 2x (b), which is 1004.416

For (e) ?
For (f) ?

For (g), I simply used the equation (Tension (the answer for (c)) plus m1g, the mass of the man and bucket times gravity.

For (h) ?

Any help on how to determine (e), (f), and (h) would be greatly appreciated, this is due by 7am tomorrow! =[
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Find out the force exerted on the pulley by the ceiling (by Newton's 3rd law, this is the same force you need)... examine the freebody diagram of the pulley.
 
  • #3
would the tension be acting downwards on the pulley twice because of the two different ends of the rope? i have no idea what the free body diagram for the pulley would look like
 
  • #4
csquared5 said:
would the tension be acting downwards on the pulley twice because of the two different ends of the rope? i have no idea what the free body diagram for the pulley would look like

yes... the forces acting on the pulley are the two tensions below... and the contact force at the ceiling...

What is ma for the pulley?
 
  • #5
how do you know ma for the pulley if it is supposedly massless in this problem?
 
  • #6
csquared5 said:
how do you know ma for the pulley if it is supposedly massless in this problem?

by massless they mean mass = 0. plus the pulley is fixed to the ceiling, so acceleration = 0... ma definitely equals 0 for the pulley.
 
  • #7
ok, so if ma is 0 for the pulley, then the only forces acting on it are the two tensions? is this the same for (e), (f), and (h), and if it is is that the answer to the problem? as simple as that?
 
  • #8
phyzziksn00b said:
ok, so if ma is 0 for the pulley, then the only forces acting on it are the two tensions? is this the same for (e), (f), and (h), and if it is is that the answer to the problem? as simple as that?

The two tensions and the force in the ceiling.

yes, the ceiling exerts 2*tension to balance the two tensions below, and make the net force on the pulley 0.
 
  • #9
so the force of the pulley on ceiling is two times the tension and in order to achieve equilibrium, the force of the ceiling on the pulley is the same, right?

so (e) would be 878.08, (f) would be 1004.416, and (h) would be the same again (2008.832?) even though there's another person involved in pulling the pulley?
 
  • #10
ok i got it =] thank you for all your help!
 
  • #11
csquared5 said:
so the force of the pulley on ceiling is two times the tension and in order to achieve equilibrium, the force of the ceiling on the pulley is the same, right?

Well... you want the pulley to be in equilbrium... so the ceiling exerts 2 times tension to balance the two tensions below the pulley. So that's the force of the ceiling on the pulley...

the question asks for the force of the pulley on the ceiling... which is just an equal force in the opposite direction, by Newton's 3rd law.
 
  • #12
csquared5 said:
ok i got it =] thank you for all your help!

cool. no prob.
 

1. What is a pulley and how does it work?

A pulley is a simple machine that consists of a wheel with a groove around its circumference and a rope or belt that runs along the groove. It is used to change the direction of a force, making it easier to lift heavy objects. As the rope or belt is pulled, the pulley rotates and the force is distributed evenly, reducing the effort needed to lift the object.

2. How do you calculate the force magnitude in a pulley system?

The force magnitude in a pulley system can be calculated by using the equation F = T1/T2, where F is the force magnitude, T1 is the tension in the rope on one side of the pulley, and T2 is the tension in the rope on the other side of the pulley.

3. What is the difference between a fixed pulley and a movable pulley?

A fixed pulley is attached to a stationary object, while a movable pulley is attached to the object being lifted. In a fixed pulley, the direction of the force remains the same, but in a movable pulley, the direction of the force changes. This makes it easier to lift heavy objects because the weight is distributed between both sides of the rope.

4. How does the ceiling force affect a pulley system?

The ceiling force is the maximum weight that a pulley system can support without breaking. It is affected by the type of pulley, the material it is made of, and the angle at which the rope is pulling. If the weight being lifted exceeds the ceiling force, the pulley system will fail and the object will not be lifted.

5. What are some real-life examples of pulley systems?

Pulley systems are used in many everyday objects, such as elevators, cranes, flags on flagpoles, and window blinds. They are also used in more complex machinery, such as construction equipment, sailboats, and rock climbing gear. In addition, pulley systems are often used in physics experiments and demonstrations to illustrate the concept of force distribution.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
22
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
206
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
19
Views
4K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
33
Views
6K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
1K
Back
Top