A 10.0-kg picture is held in place by two wires,the first one hanging at 50.0° to the left of the vertical and the second one at 45.0° to the right of the vertical.What is the tension in the first wire?
A)69.6 N
B)50.8 N
C)98.1 N
D)69.4 N
E)23.8 N

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tension in each wire can be calculated using the following equation:

Tension = (weight of object) / (cosine of angle between wire and vertical)

For the first wire, the angle between the wire and the vertical is 50.0° to the left. Therefore, the tension in the first wire is:

Tension = (10.0 kg)(9.81 m/s^2) / (cos 50.0°)
Tension = 96.66 N

For the second wire, the angle between the wire and the vertical is 45.0° to the right. Therefore, the tension in the second wire is:

Tension = (10.0 kg)(9.81 m/s^2) / (cos 45.0°)
Tension = 98.14 N

Therefore, the tension in the first wire is 96.66 N, which is closest to answer choice A (69.6 N).

A 100-Kg Picture Is Held in Place by Two Wires,the First