What is the Tension in the 37-Degree Cable Holding a 4000kg Wrecking Ball?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around determining the tension in a cable holding a 4000 kg wrecking ball, specifically focusing on the angle of the cable with the vertical. Participants are exploring the implications of different angles presented in the problem and how they affect the calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss various attempts to calculate the tension using different angles (37 degrees and 40 degrees) and express confusion regarding the discrepancy between the problem statement and the provided image. Some participants question their understanding of the setup and the equations used.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing their calculations and expressing uncertainty about the correctness of their results. There is no clear consensus, but some guidance has been offered regarding trying different angles and re-evaluating the equations used.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the lack of additional information provided in the problem statement and express confusion about the angle discrepancy, which may affect their calculations.

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a large wrecking ball is held in place by two steel cables
http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/3994/yf0543ei1.jpg
if the mass m, of the wrecking ball is 4000kg, what is the tension Tb in the cable that makes an angle 37 degrees with the vertical?

F=T + W = ma
i drew my FBD
i tried Tb=(4000*9.8)/cos37, but it got me nowhere
i also tried Tb= 4000cos37, which also didnt work.

maybe i am reading the qustion wrong, need guidance.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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Why is the angle 40 degrees in the picture?
 
yeah i don't know why either, the picture shows 40 degrees but the problem asks 37 degrees. and I am confused. i know how to solve problems like these when the cables are attatched to flat vertical and horizontal walls, but i am thrown off when the cables are attached to an angled crane
 
Try it with 40 degrees instead of 37? The first equation you wrote for Tb should work. Is there more to the question than what you've written?
 
no , that is all they give, and then the second part of the question asks what is the tension Ta of the horizontal cable when the wrecking ball is 4000kg, but i figured, if i could solve the first part, i could solve the second part.
i also tried 40 degrees instead of 37, but it stil comes up with a wrong answer.
 
Last edited:
What is the number that you get out of your calculation?
 
plugging in for the first equation i wrote for Tb, i get 51172kg, which the computer says is a wrong answer. i also tried using sin in the equations as well, which still ended up wrong.
 

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