Final answer:
The net force on the telephone pole exerted by the two cables, which are at right angles and each with a force of 5000 N, can be calculated using the Pythagorean theorem giving a resultant of 7071.07 N at a direction of 45 degrees from either cable.
Step-by-step explanation:
If two cables are attached to an old telephone pole at right angles to each other and each is pulled with a force of 5000 N, to find the net force on the pole exerted by the two cables we can use vector addition. Since the forces are perpendicular, the situation resembles a right-angled triangle where the two forces are the legs and the resultant force is the hypotenuse.
By applying the Pythagorean theorem, we can calculate the net force. The net force (Fnet) would be:
Fnet = √(Fx2 + Fy2)
Where:
- Fx = 5000 N (force exerted by the first cable)
- Fy = 5000 N (force exerted by the second cable)
Therefore, the net force would be:
Fnet = √(50002 + 50002)
= √(25000000 + 25000000)
= √50000000
= 7071.07 N
The net force would have a direction that can be found using the arctangent function:
Direction = arctan(Fy/Fx)
= arctan(5000/5000)
= 45 degrees