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Learn what tension is, how to calculate it using the formula T = mg + ma, and see examples and solved problems. Find out the common misconception, direction, and work done by tension, and test your knowledge with a quiz.
- 4 min
- Work done depends on both force and displacement. Tension is a force but it doesn’t cause any displacement. If the work done is given by the follow...
- The direction of tension is the pull which is given the name tension. Thus, the tension will point away from the mass in the direction of the strin...
- The string has a force of tension of 10 N. The spring is stretched by an equal force of 5N in the opposite direction giving rise to a tension of 5+...
- Tension acts in the opposite direction of the gravitational force. If the object is hanging it must be balanced by tension, otherwise, it will acce...
- The rope acts as a transferring agent of the force, so there should never be a scenario in which two objects connected by one rope experience tensi...
Learn what tension is, how to calculate it using the formula T = W ± ma, and see solved examples of tension problems. Tension is a force parallel to a flexible connector that supports a hanging body or a moving body with acceleration.
- Overview
- Determining Tension On a Single Strand
- Calculating Tensions On Multiple Strands
- Calculator, Practice Problems, and Answers
In physics, tension is the force exerted by a rope, string, cable, or similar object on one or more objects. Anything pulled, hung, supported, or swung from a rope, string, cable, etc. is subject to the force of tension.
Like all forces, tension can accelerate objects or cause them to deform. Being able to calculate tension is an important skill not just for physics students but also for
on either end of the strand.
The tension in a given strand of string or rope is a result of the forces pulling on the rope from either end. As a reminder,
force = mass × acceleration
Assuming the rope is stretched tightly, any change in acceleration or mass in objects the rope is supporting will cause a change in tension in the rope. Don't forget the constant acceleration due to
- even if a system is at rest, its components are subject to this force. We can think of a tension in a given rope as T = (m × g) + (m × a), where "g" is the acceleration due to gravity of any objects the rope is supporting and "a" is any other acceleration on any objects the rope is supporting.
For the purposes of most
Lift parallel vertical loads using a
Pulleys are simple machines consisting of a suspended disk that allows the tension force in a rope to change direction. In a simple pulley configuration, the rope or cable runs from a suspended weight up to the pulley, then down to another, creating 2 lengths of rope or cable strands. However, the tension in both sections of rope is equal, even if both ends of the rope are being pulled by forces of different magnitudes. For a system of two masses hanging from a vertical pulley, tension equals 2g (m
), where "g" is the acceleration of gravity, "m
" is the mass of object 1, and "m
" is the mass of object 2.
Note that, usually, physics problems assume
What will the dimension of tension be?
Tension is measured in Newtons.
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What is the main formula for tension?
- 2.2M
Dec 15, 2020 · Learn what tension is, how to calculate it, and see examples of tension in everyday life. Find out the difference between tension and compression, and solve problems using the tension formula.
Dec 28, 2020 · Learn how to calculate the force of tension in a rope or string using Newton's laws and free-body diagrams. See examples of tension in one and two dimensions, pulley systems and real-world applications.
- Amy Dusto
4 days ago · Learn how to calculate the tension in a string or a pulley using the formula T = mg + ma. Find out the dimensional formula, surface tension equation, and examples of tension in physics.
Aug 22, 2024 · Learn what tension is in physics, how it is calculated, and how it affects various objects and situations. See examples of tension in ropes, strings, cables, bridges, and more.
