Question

An elevator's motion is through the action of a single cable. The elevator has a gravitational force of 2000 N. When the elevator is moving downwards at a constant velocity, how much tension is in this cable?

A) Equal to 2000 N
B) Slightly less than 2000 N
C) Greater than 2000 N
D) Close to 0 N

Answer 1

The tension in the elevator cable is equal to the gravitational force (2000 N) when the elevator moves downwards at a constant velocity, as the forces are in balance.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an elevator is moving downwards at a constant velocity, the net force acting on the elevator is zero. In this scenario, the tension in the cable and the gravitational force are in balance. Since the gravitational force on the elevator is given as 2000 N, the tension in the cable would also be 2000 N to maintain the constant velocity. Therefore, the correct answer is A) Equal to 2000 N.