An object with mass m is hanging from a wire attached to the ceiling of an elevator.The elevator is moving downward and its speed is increasing at rate of a = 5 m/s².Which one of the following statements is true? A)T=mg B)T=mg-a C)T=m(g-a) D)T=m(g+a) E)T=mg+a

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the elevator is moving downward with an acceleration of 5 m/s^2, the effective weight of the object will be less than its actual weight. Therefore, the tension in the wire will be less than the weight (mg) of the object. We can calculate the tension by using the following equation:
T = m(g - a)
where T is the tension, m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2) and a is the acceleration of the elevator (5 m/s^2). Thus, the correct answer is (C) T = m(g - a).

An Object with Mass M Is Hanging from a Wire