Question

Due to a jaw injury, a patient must have his head supported by a strap that produces a net upward force of 5.00 N on his chin. The tension is the same throughout the strap. To what tension must the strap be adjusted to provide the necessary upward force?

A. 2.50 N
B. 5.00 N
C. 7.50 N
D. 10.00 N

Answer 1

The strap must be adjusted to a tension of 2.50 N on each side to provide the necessary upward force of 5.00 N on the patient's chin.

Step-by-step explanation:

Strap Tension to Support a Patient's Head

To determine the necessary tension in the strap, consider the strap applies an upward force at two points on opposite sides of the chin. Since the net upward force required is 5.00 N and the tension is distributed across two sides of the strap, each side of the strap must provide half of the net force. Therefore, you would divide the total necessary support force by two.

To find the tension (T) in the strap:

T = Net Force / 2

T = 5.00 N / 2

T = 2.50 N.

As such, each side of the strap must be adjusted to a tension of 2.50 N to achieve the overall upward force of 5.00 N.