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Please can you solve this question;

A uniform metal tube of length 5m and 9kg is suspended horizontally by two vertical wires attached at 150cm and 50cm respectively from the end of the tube. What is the tension in each wire?​

1 Answer

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The tension in the wire attached at 150 cm (T₁) is approximately 110.25 N, and the tension in the wire attached at 50 cm (T₂) is 88.2 N.

How to determine tension in each wire

Given:

Length of the tube, L = 5 meters

Mass of the tube, m = 9 kg

Acceleration due to gravity, g ≈ 9.8 m/s²

The total weight of the tube (W) can be calculated as:

Weight (W) = mass × acceleration due to gravity

Weight (W) = 9 kg × 9.8 m/s² = 88.2 N

Now, the tube's weight acts at its center of mass, which is at L/2 = 2.5 meters from either end.

Let T₁ and T₂ be the tensions in the wires attached at 150 cm (1.5 meters) and 50 cm (0.5 meters) from the end of the tube, respectively.

Using the principle of torque balance:

The clockwise torque is due to the tension in the wire at 50 cm, and the counterclockwise torque is due to the tension in the wire at 150 cm.

T₂ × 2.5 meters = W × 2.5 meters

T₂ = (W × 2.5 meters) / 2.5 meters = 88.2 N

Now, find the tension in the wire at 150 cm:

T₁ × 2 meters = W × 2.5 meters

T₁ = (W × 2.5 meters) / 2 meters = (88.2 N × 2.5 meters) / 2 meters = 110.25 N

Therefore, the tension in the wire attached at 150 cm (T₁) is approximately 110.25 N, and the tension in the wire attached at 50 cm (T₂) is 88.2 N.

User Simon Mathewson
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