Question

The distance between two telephone poles is 50 m. A 1 kg bird lands on the telephone wire midway between the poles, and the wire sags 0.2 m. How much tension does the bird produce in the wire

Answer 1

the tension produce by the bird in the wire is 610.3 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

given information:

mass of the bird, m = 1 kg

distance of two telephone pole, L = 50 m

wire sag, y = 0.2

the tension of the wire can be calculate by the following equation

tan θ = y/(L/2)

= 0.2/(50/2)

= 0.2/25

thus

θ = arc tan (0.2/25)

= 0.46°

according to Newton's first law

ΣF = 0, vertical direction

T sin θ + T sin θ - mg = 0

2 T sin θ = m g

T = mg/2 sinθ

= 1 x 9.8/(2 sin 0.46)

= 610.3 N