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Ch 04: Newton's Laws of Motion
Chapter 4, Problem 5

A 75.0-kg wrecking ball hangs from a uniform, heavy-duty chain of mass 26.0 kg. (b) What is the tension at a point three-fourths of the way up from the bottom of the chain?

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1
Identify the total mass hanging below the point of interest. Since the point is three-fourths of the way up from the bottom, one-fourth of the chain's mass and the entire wrecking ball are hanging below this point. Calculate the mass of one-fourth of the chain and add it to the mass of the wrecking ball.
Calculate the total weight of the mass hanging below the point by multiplying the total mass (from step 1) by the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2).
Recognize that the tension at the point of interest is equal to the weight of all the mass hanging below that point because the chain is in static equilibrium.
Sum up the weight of the wrecking ball and the weight of the one-fourth of the chain to find the total tension at the point three-fourths of the way up the chain.
The tension at the point is the force that the upper part of the chain must exert to support the weight hanging below, which is calculated in step 3.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Tension in a Rope or Chain

Tension is the force exerted along a rope or chain when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends. In this scenario, the tension varies along the length of the chain due to the weight of the chain itself and the wrecking ball. Understanding how tension is distributed is crucial for solving problems involving hanging objects.
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Weight and Gravitational Force

Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, calculated as the product of mass and the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s² on Earth). In this problem, both the wrecking ball and the chain contribute to the total weight that affects the tension in the chain. Recognizing how weight influences tension is essential for accurate calculations.
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Static Equilibrium

Static equilibrium occurs when an object is at rest and the sum of all forces acting on it is zero. In this case, the forces acting on the chain and the wrecking ball must balance out. Analyzing the forces at the specified point in the chain requires applying the principles of static equilibrium to determine the tension accurately.
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