Math Is Fun Forum

Daniel123

Member

Registered: 2007-05-23

Posts: 663

pulleys

Quick question...

Imagine an isosceles triangle on a flat surface, bottom two angles are both equal. There is a pulley at the top of the triangle. A particle hangs on either end of a taut string that hangs over the pulley, so the resultant force on the pulley would just be twice the tension, and the direction of the resultant froce would be vertically downwards?

Thanks

luca-deltodesco

Member

Registered: 2006-05-05

Posts: 1,470

Re: pulleys

the magnitude of the force on the pulley will only be twice the magnitude of the tension if the tension on both sides was acting in the same direction, obviously they're not since they're acting in a triangle

the direction will be down yes, but the magnitude will be given by 2Tsinθ where T is the magnitude of the tension, and θ the angle at bottom of isoceles

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Daniel123

Member

Registered: 2007-05-23

Posts: 663

Re: pulleys

Whoops silly me.. thanks.