High School

A 50 kg box is moving upward at a steady 5.0 m/s while hanging from a rope. What is the tension in the rope?

A) 245 N
B) 500 N
C) 2450 N
D) 550 N

Answer :

Final answer:

To calculate the tension in the rope for a 50kg box moving upward at a steady speed, we use T = mg since the acceleration (a) is zero, resulting in T = (50 kg)(9.8 m/s²) = 490 N, which is closest to option B) 500 N, suggesting a possible error in the provided options.

Explanation:

To determine the tension in the rope for a 50kg box moving upward at a steady 5.0m/s, we use the formula T = mg + ma, where T is the tension, m is the mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²), and a is the acceleration of the box. Since the box is moving at a steady speed, there is no acceleration (a = 0 m/s²), thus the only force causing tension is the weight of the box, which is the product of its mass and the acceleration due to gravity. Therefore, the tension is T = mg = (50 kg)(9.8 m/s²).

Calculating the tension yields T = 490 N. However, this is not one of the provided options. The closest option to the accurate calculation is 500 N, so there may be a typo or error in the question itself or the options given.