In: Physics
A baby elephant is stuck in a mud hole. To help pull it out, game keepers use a rope to apply a force FA, as part a of the drawing shows. By itself, however, force FAis insufficient. Therefore, two additional forces FB and FC are applied, as in part b of the drawing. Each of these additional forces has the same magnitude F. Themagnitude of the resultant force acting on the elephant in part b of the drawing is k times larger than that in part a. Find the ratio F/FA when k = 1.94.
QUESTION: A baby elephant is stuck in a mud hole. To help pull it out, game keepers use a rope to apply a force FA, as part aof the drawing shows. By itself, however, force FA is insufficient. Therefore, two additional forces FB and FC are applied, as in part b of thedrawing. Each of these additional forces has the same magnitude F. The magnitude of the resultant force acting on the elephantin part b of the drawing is k times larger than that in part a. Find the ratio F/FA when k = 1.94.
If b = ka, then b = 1.94a
Thus F/FA = total force (3F) divided by the single force A (F)
Thus F/FA is really just 1/3A
Since B = 1.94A, B/1.94 = A
F/FA = 1/3A = 1/(3B/1.94) = 1.94/3B = 0.647/B = 1.546B
F/FA = 1.546B = 1/(3A)