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2 DYNAMICS

P20 004

To remove a car from a ditch, the driver ties a tight rope to the car and a tree. The driver then pulls at the centre of the rope with a force of 500 N to move the car. The diagram shows the situation just before the car begins to move.

Calculate the rope tension and the force that pulls the car towards the tree.

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Solution

The situation of the car, tree and rope is static since the car has yet to move.

Situation 1: The pull at the centre of the rope.

The rope tension is 1440 N

Situation 2: The rope pulling on the car.

The rope pulls the car towards the tree in +X direction with a force of magnitude 1418 N.