Skip over navigation  Applying Newton's Three Laws   Tension
Force  How to Cite This SparkNote  Problem :  A 5kg picture
frame is held up by two ropes, each inclined 45 o below
vertical, as shown below. What is the tension in each of the
ropes?  Because the picture frame is at rest, the tension in the
two ropes must exactly counteract the gravitational force on the
picture frame. Drawing a free body diagram we can calculate the
vertical components of the tension in the ropes:  Clearly the
horizontal components of the tension in the two ropes cancel
exactly. In addition, the vertical components are equal in
magnitude. Since F = 0 , then the vertical components of the
tension in the two ropes must cancel exactly with the
gravitational force: 2T y = mgâá’2T sin 45 o = (5)(9.8) = 49N .
Thus: T = = 34.6N . The total tension on each rope is thus 34.6N
.  Problem :  Consider a 10kg block resting on a frictionless
plane inclined 30 o connected by a rope through a pulley to a
10kg block hanging free, as seen in the fi