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A simple pendulum is constructed by attaching a 0.440 kg ball to a 0.250 m long cord of negligible mass. If air resistance is negligible and the pendulum is swinging such that its maximum angular displacement is 30.0°, determine the tension in the string when the ball is at its highest position?

User Ervadac
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Final answer:

The tension in the string of the simple pendulum at its highest position with a maximum angular displacement of 30.0° is approximately 3.7 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the physics of a simple pendulum and involves calculating the tension in the string when the pendulum is at its highest position with a given angular displacement. To find the tension, we can use the formula T = mg(cos(θ) + (L/g)v^2), where 'T' is the tension, 'mg' is the weight of the ball, 'θ' is the angle, 'L' is the length of the pendulum, 'g' is the acceleration due to gravity, and 'v' is the velocity of the pendulum at the highest point which is 0 in this case, because the velocity is momentarily zero at that point. Plugging in the values, we get T = (0.440 kg)(9.8 m/s^2)(cos(30°)). Using the fact that cos(30°) is √3/2, the tension in the string at the highest position calculates to approximately 3.7 N. Please note that the ‘cos’ function uses degrees as its argument, and the gravitational acceleration 'g' is approximately 9.8 m/s^2 on the surface of the Earth.

User Valentin Golev
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