Final answer:
The tension in the rope for a 55 kg climber hanging motionless from it is 539 N, calculated using the formula T = mg, where g is the acceleration due to gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Tension in the Climber's Rope
For a climber who weighs 55 kg and is hanging motionless from a rope, the tension in the rope can be calculated using Newton's second law of motion. The law states that if the acceleration is zero (which it is, since the climber is motionless), then the net force is also zero. This means the tension in the rope must equal the climber's weight (weight is the force due to gravity). The weight can be calculated using the formula W = m x g, where W is the weight, m is the mass of the climber, and g is the acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.80 m/s². By substituting the given values, we calculate the tension as follows: T = 55 kg x 9.80 m/s² = 539 N