Why is tension in a rope constant despite increasing speed on a rough surface?

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SUMMARY

The tension in a rope remains constant despite increasing speed on a rough surface due to the principles outlined in Newton's Second Law. When a box is pulled at constant speeds of 0.5 m/s and 1 m/s, the tension (T1 and T2) remains equal because the force required to maintain motion only needs to counteract friction, which does not vary with speed. The transition period requires additional work to increase speed, but once the desired speed is achieved, the tension stabilizes to overcome friction alone.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's Second Law of Motion
  • Basic concepts of friction and its coefficients
  • Knowledge of constant velocity and acceleration principles
  • Familiarity with force diagrams and free-body analysis
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  • Study the effects of varying coefficients of friction on tension in ropes
  • Explore the relationship between work done and kinetic energy in motion
  • Learn about dynamic versus static friction in practical applications
  • Investigate the role of net force in maintaining constant velocity
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phys_student1
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Hello again,

Sorry for posting two threads in one day. This is a general question.

Suppose we have a box on a rough surface (fk). The box is being pulled by a

horizontal rope(T1), and is moving with a constant speed v=0.5 m/s.

Now suppose there's exactly similar situation but with v=1 m/s.

According to the 2nd law, T1=T2

I wonder why isn't T2 larger since it's causing a speeder motion ??

(In Serway/Jewett book it's stated that coefficient of friction can vary with
but they approximate this and treat it as if it does not vary)
 
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ali8 said:
I wonder why isn't T2 larger since it's causing a speeder motion ??
That tension didn't create the motion, it just maintains it.

To get the box moving at a greater speed requires some net work to be done. The greater the speed, the more work needs to be done. But once the box is moving the only force you need to maintain that speed is just that needed to overcome friction. It doesn't depend on the speed.
 
So, there's a transition period, where the speed is increased from, say, 0.5 m/s to 1 m/s,
then the same rope tension maintains the motion.

Well, I think this is clearer now...

Thanks you !
 

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