Physics Question

[AgaBoogaBoo]

A person weighs 612N. If the person sites in the middle of a hammock that is 3.0m long and sags 1.0M below the points of support, what force would be exerted by each of the two hammock ropes?

First, the answer is 459N
Second, the answer first finds 306N for the 1M sag. Is that just because the force is distributed among two ropes?

 

[Toastedlightly]

how do the ropes stretch, etc?

 

[Goosemaster]

sigma f = ma

remember that

 

[Triumph]

Did you draw a free body diagram? Number one mistake that new students make, they don't draw a FBD. Or they draw one that doesn't identify all the forces, which makes it an incorrect FBD. Get in the habit of drawing one for everything, to develop your skills.

 

[BornStar]

You can figure out the angle the hammock makes with the ground by the given information. You know the downward force exerted on the rope also by the given. Therefore, you can find the force exerted down the rope.

edit: The simple way is similar triangles.

 

[TuxDave]

Yes, the forces will be divided equally among the two ropes because everything is symmetrical.