Final answer:
The tension force in the rope supporting a 12kg light fixture is equal to the weight of the fixture. Given that the acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s², the tension force is calculated as approximately 117.72 Newtons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tension force in the rope attached to the ceiling and supporting a 12kg light fixture can be determined by considering the gravitational force acting on the mass. In this stationary scenario, the tension in the rope must balance out the force of gravity on the object. Using Newton's second law and assuming the object is stationary (acceleration is zero), the net force acting on the mass is also zero (Fnet = 0). Since the only forces are the weight of the object (w) and the tension in the rope (T), we conclude that T - w = 0.
To find the tension, we calculate the weight of the object using the equation w = m * g, where m is the mass and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s2). Thus, the tension T in the rope is simply the weight of the mass, which is 12kg * 9.81 m/s2, giving us a tension force of approximately 117.72 N. Therefore, the tension force in the rope is 117.72 Newtons.