## Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson

# Chapter 9 - Static Equilibrium; Elasticity and Fracture - Misconceptual Questions: 8

Choice E.

#### Work Step by Step

Consider the point just below the woman’s foot. Three forces are acting: the woman’s weight pushing downward, the tension T in the wire pulling up and to the left along the direction of the wire on the left, and the tension T in the wire pulling up and to the right along the direction of the wire on the right. Assume that the rope on the right is directed at an angle of $\theta$ above the horizontal. Applying Newton’s second law to this equilibrium case, it can be shown that her weight W is balanced by the 2 vertical forces working together: $W = 2 T sin \theta$. The angle is small, so the sine of the angle is very small. We see that the tension T is many times greater than the weight, W.

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