Homework Help: Physics

Posted by Kelly on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at 9:14pm.

A 17.0 kg monkey hangs from a cord suspended from the ceiling of an elevator. The cord can withstand a tension of 220N and breaks as the elevator accelerates. What was the elevator's minimum acceleration (magnintude and direction)?

Please show me how to do this in addition to the answer. I'm having a lot of trouble in my honors Physics class and any additional tips for these types of problems in general would be greatly appreciated.

The weight of the monkey is
W = M g = 17.0 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 166.6 N

If it requires a tension of T = 220 N to break the cord, and if that tension were provided, the monkey would be accelerating upward at a rate "a" given by
T - W = M a
T = W + M a = M (a + g)= 220 N
(a + g) = T/M = 12.9 m/s^2
a = 12.9 - 9.8 m/s^2 = 3.1 m/s^2

No one has answered this question yet.

Answer this Question

Related Questions

PHYSICS 2 - A 15.7 kg monkey hangs from a cord suspended from the ceiling of an ...
phys sci.. - A 12.5kg monkey hangs from a cord suspended from the ceiling of an ...
physics - A person in an elevator is holding a 13 kg block by a cord rated to ...
physics - A person in an elevator is holding a 13 kg block by a cord rated to ...
physics 101 - A person in an elevator is holding a 15 kg block by a cord rated ...
physics - consider a massless cord attached at both ends to hooks in a ceiling. ...
Physics - A lamp hangs vertically from a cord in a descending elevator that ...
physics - A lamp hangs vertically from a cord in a descending elevator that ...
Physics - A lamp hangs vertically from a cord in a descending elevator with a ...
Physics - A stationary arrangement of two crayon boxes and three cords. Box A ...

For Further Reading

First Name:
School Subject:
Answer: