What Force Must a Window Washer Exert to Ascend at Constant Speed?

[meganw]

Homework Statement

A window washer pulls herself upward using the bucket-pulley apparatus:

The mass of the person plus the bucket is 63 kg.

(a) How hard must she pull downward to raise herself slowly at constant speed?

Homework Equations

F = m(a)

The Attempt at a Solution

I figured that since she wants to raise herself at constant speed, that makes her acceleration equal to zero. Which means Fnet=0=Ftension-Fgravity, so Ftension=Fgravity. F gravity=9.8(63)=617.4 N, but it says I have the wrong answer.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Homework Statement

A window washer pulls herself upward using the bucket-pulley apparatus:

The mass of the person plus the bucket is 63 kg.

(a) How hard must she pull downward to raise herself slowly at constant speed?

Homework Equations

F = m(a)

The Attempt at a Solution

I figured that since she wants to raise herself at constant speed, that makes her acceleration equal to zero. Which means Fnet=0=Ftension-Fgravity, so Ftension=Fgravity. F gravity=9.8(63)=617.4 N, but it says I have the wrong answer.

Thanks in advance for the help.

you need to draw a good free body diagram. Isolate the woman , bucket and both cords by drawing a circle around them that cuts thru the cords, and identify all forces acting.