Tension of a pole attached to a wall at an angle

In summary, the magnitude of the tension in the rod is approximately 29N. The given equation of T = mg/sin(theta) is used to calculate the tension, but it does not take into account other forces acting on the rod. The problem does not provide enough information to calculate the length, which is necessary for using the equation for torque.
  • #1
Robert5742
2
0

Homework Statement


A rod extends from a vertical wall at an angle of 27º from the horizontal. A 2.5-kg lamp is mounted at the end of the rod. After John throws his 300-g winter coat over the lamp, what is the magnitude of the tension in the rod?

The answers choices are:
A) 30N
B) 70N
C) 27N
D) 22N

Homework Equations


F = ma

The Attempt at a Solution


Since the only force acting on it is $F_t$ tension is equal to T = mg/sin(theta)

So when I plug in my knowns I get T = (9.8*2.8) (2.5kg + 300 g (300g = .3kg)/(sin(27)) which is equal to 28.691... which is not one of the answer choices. Am I using the wrong formula?
 
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  • #2
Robert5742 said:

Homework Statement


A rod extends from a vertical wall at an angle of 27º from the horizontal. A 2.5-kg lamp is mounted at the end of the rod. After John throws his 300-g winter coat over the lamp, what is the magnitude of the tension in the rod?

The answers choices are:
A) 30N
B) 70N
C) 27N
D) 22N

Homework Equations


F = ma


The Attempt at a Solution


Since the only force acting on it is $F_t$ tension is equal to T = mg/sin(theta)

So when I plug in my knowns I get T = (9.8*2.8) (2.5kg + 300 g (300g = .3kg)/(sin(27)) which is equal to 28.691... which is not one of the answer choices. Am I using the wrong formula?


How are you getting ~29N, check your math?

##F_{Ty}## is not the only force acting on the rod in the y direction as you stated. The sum of the forces is ##Tsin(\theta)-(m_1+m_2)g = 0##

There are some problems with this line of thinking. Imagine the rod was mounted from the wall horizontally with respect to the ground, with some mass hanging from one end. Would the tension in the rod in this case be zero, so that we could hang any mass on the end without stressing the rod/mounting?

Was there more information in the problem? Or am I just too tired to see it. Have you studied torques? Using the above we could choose C, although I'm not happy with that.
 
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  • #3
Student100 said:
How are you getting ~29N, check your math?

##F_{Ty}## is not the only force acting on the rod in the y direction as you stated. The sum of the forces is ##Tsin(\theta)-(m_1+m_2)g = 0##

There are some problems with this line of thinking. Imagine the rod was mounted from the wall horizontally with respect to the ground, with some mass hanging from one end. Would the tension in the rod in this case be zero, so that we could hang any mass on the end without stressing the rod/mounting?

Was there more information in the problem? Or am I just too tired to see it. Have you studied torques? Using the above we could choose C, although I'm not happy with that.

This is the entire problem. We haven't really gone into torque that much. I only know the equations but not really how to apply them. So Torque = Forces x Length, but the given question doesn't give Length, so how should I go about solving it? Also I got about 29 since 9.8*2.8 = 27.44/(sin(27)) is about 29.
 
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Related to Tension of a pole attached to a wall at an angle

1. What factors affect the tension of a pole attached to a wall at an angle?

The tension of a pole attached to a wall at an angle is affected by the weight of the pole, the angle at which it is attached to the wall, and the force applied to the pole.

2. How do you calculate the tension in a pole attached to a wall at an angle?

The tension in a pole attached to a wall at an angle can be calculated using the formula T = (W/cosθ) + Fsinθ, where T is the tension, W is the weight of the pole, θ is the angle at which it is attached to the wall, and F is the applied force.

3. What is the maximum tension that a pole attached to a wall can withstand?

The maximum tension that a pole attached to a wall can withstand depends on the strength of the materials used and the angle at which it is attached. Generally, the tension should not exceed the weight of the pole plus the force applied to it.

4. How does the angle at which a pole is attached to a wall affect the tension?

The tension in a pole attached to a wall increases as the angle of attachment decreases. This is because a smaller angle increases the strain on the pole, requiring more tension to support the weight and force applied.

5. Can the tension in a pole attached to a wall at an angle be negative?

No, the tension in a pole attached to a wall cannot be negative. Tension is a force that pulls in opposite directions, and a negative tension would imply a force that pushes, which is not physically possible in this scenario.

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