Question

One end of a 30-m rope is tied to a tree; the other end is tied to a car stuck in the mud. The motorist pulls sideways on the midpoint of the rope, displacing it a distance of 2 m. If he exerts a force of 80 N under these conditions, determine the force exerted on the car.

a) 40 N
b) 80 N
c) 120 N
d) 160 N

Answer 1

The force exerted on the car when the motorist pulls on the rope with an 80 N force is also 80 N, reflecting an equal distribution of tension throughout the rope.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves determining the force exerted on a car when a person pulls on a rope that is tied to the car and a tree. It requires knowledge of physics concepts, specifically the principles of tension in ropes and vectors. To solve this problem, we apply the principle that the tension in the rope is the same throughout its length and that the forces exerted at both ends must be equal when the rope is in equilibrium.

When the motorist exerts an 80 N force at the midpoint of the rope, creating a displacement of 2 m, and assuming the force is effectively distributed equally to both sides of the midpoint (because the rope is equal in length on both sides), the force exerted on the car would also be 80 N, which matches option b) 80 N.