Question

A uniform, horizontal beam of length 6.0 m and weight 120 n is attached at one end to a wall by a pin connection (so that it may rotate). a cable attached to the wall above the pin supports the opposite end. the cable makes an angle of 60° with the horizontal. what is the tension in the cable needed to maintain the beam in equilibrium?

Answer 1

To find the tension in the cable needed to maintain the beam in equilibrium, the weight of the beam and the distance from the wall are used. By balancing the torques acting on the beam, we can calculate the tension in the cable using the formula: Tension = (Weight of the beam × Distance from the wall) / Length of the beam. In this case, the tension in the cable is 120 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the tension in the cable needed to maintain the beam in equilibrium, we need to balance the torques acting on the beam. The weight of the beam creates a clockwise torque, while the tension in the cable creates a counterclockwise torque. Since the beam is in equilibrium, these torques must balance out.

To calculate the tension in the cable, we can use the formula:

Tension = (Weight of the beam × Distance from the wall) / Length of the beam

Plugging in the given values:

• Weight of the beam = 120 N
• Distance from the wall = Length of the beam = 6.0 m

Tension = (120 N × 6.0 m) / 6.0 m = 120 N

Therefore, the tension in the cable needed to maintain the beam in equilibrium is 120 N.