A 0.20 kg mass is whirled round in a vertical circle on the end of a light string of length 0.90 m. At the top point of the circle the speed of the mass is 8.2 m/s. What is the tension in the string at this point?

A diagram would be very beneficial for this problem. We can draw a free body force diagram of the mass. At the top of the circle the two forces acting on it are its weight and tension from the string. Both are acting vertically downwards.
This problem is an example of circular motion, so the equation to use will be:
F = (mv2) / r
where F is the centripetal force (acting towards the centre of the circle), m is mass, v is velocity and r is radius
Therefore we can calculate what the centripetal force will be:
F = (0.2
8.22) / 0.9
F = 14.94222...N
As we said earlier, there are two forces acting on the mass towards the centre of the circle: its weight and the tension. We can calculate the weight from the body's mass using W = mg
W = 0.2
9.81
Then F = weight + tension
tension = F - weight
tension = 14.942 - 0.2*9.81
tension = 13.0N

TC
Answered by Thomas C. Physics tutor

48877 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

Why does a skydiver go through two different terminal velocities?


Explain Rutherford's atomic model experiment


A golf ball is hit at angle θ to the horizontal, with initial velocity u. Stating an assumption, show that the horizontal distance travelled by the ball is directly proportional to u^2.


Single electrons travelling at 550 ms^-1 are passed through a diffraction grating with a spacing between the slits of 2.5 micrometers. What would the angle between the zeroth and first maximum of the resulting interference pattern be?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences