- #1
Postal Pete
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Homework Statement
A 100 kg man is walking on a tight cable. His safety harness has a strap that is attached to an overhead cable that will allow him to fall 1 meter before stopping him from falling any further. What is the force on the strap when it stops his fall at 1 meter.
Homework Equations
v = at
v^2 = 2ad
Fd = KE = .5mv^2
a = 9.81 m/s^2
Weight = ma = m*9.81
The Attempt at a Solution
v = sqrt (2*9.81*1) = 4.43 m/s
KE = .5*100*(4.43)^2 = 981 J
Fd = F*1 = KE = 981 J
Force on the strap at the end of the 1 m fall is 981 N
The man's weight is ma = 100*9.81 = 981 N
Shouldn't the force on the strap after the one meter fall be greater than the man's weight?