1- An elevator, when fully loaded, has a mass of 5500 kg. The elevator needs to accelerate anywhere from 2.7 m/s^2 [D] to 2.7 m/s^2 [U]. What is the maximum tension force that the elevator cable will need to support during normal use?
can we use fnet principle here, so when its accelerating downwards, it'll be
-ma=t-mg. is this right?
Yes, you can use the net force principle to determine the maximum tension force that the elevator cable will need to support during normal use. When the elevator is accelerating downwards, you can consider the following forces:
1. The tension force (T) in the cable, acting upwards.
2. The weight of the elevator (mg), acting downwards.
3. The mass of the elevator (m) multiplied by its acceleration (a), acting downwards.
Based on the net force principle, the equation would be:
-ma = T - mg
Here's how you can solve for the maximum tension force:
1. Substitute the given values:
m = 5500 kg (mass of the elevator)
a = 2.7 m/s^2 (acceleration)
2. Rearrange the equation to solve for T:
T = ma + mg
3. Calculate the gravitational force (mg):
mg = 5500 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 (acceleration due to gravity)
4. Calculate the tension force:
T = (5500 kg * 2.7 m/s^2) + (5500 kg * 9.8 m/s^2)
By substituting the values in step 4, you can calculate the maximum tension force that the elevator cable will need to support during normal use.