Weight Challenge

The Weight Challenge

Determine the weight of the unknown object hanging from two objects at unequal angels to each other

My partner Valentina and I observed the setup and found that rope A was being pulled with a tension force of 0.9N at a 37-degree angle. Rope B was being pulled with a tension force of 2.25N at a 70-degree angle.

In order to find the weight of the box, we set up a free-body diagram. 

We found that the angle between ftBy and ftAx was 90o (Degrees). Then, we subtracted 37 from 90 and found the angle between ftBy and ftA equals 53.

With this technique, we also found the angle of ftBy/ftAy and ftB to be 20o.

With this new information, we decided to use trigonometry to calculate the weights of ftAy and ftBy.

Cos = adj/hyp

Cos 20 = adj/2.25n

2.25N(cos 20) 

= 2.11N

Cos 53 = adj/0.09N

0.09N(cos 53)

= .54N

Then, we just added together 2.11 and .54 to get a total of 2.65N. Since fg is equal to ftAy+ftBy, fg will also equal 2.65N. 

Therefore, the weight of the mystery box is 2.65N.