Simple definition of tension for a science fair project

[Benenmin]

Homework Statement

My daughter is doing a science fair project on friction velocity and tension. She is having a hard time defining tension in a way that everyone will understand, can anyone help us with a definition that will be suitable for a science fair? We did see the posting on tesion from before but it does not seem to define tension itself.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[Encephalon]

In typical elementary applications, tension is used to describe the force exerted by a rope on an object in order to keep that object in static equilibrium (normally with the force of gravity). It is normally abbreviated as just "T", and often subscripted (T1, T2, etc.).