In a daring rescue by helicopter, two men with a combined mass of 172-kg are lifted to safety. (a) If the helicopter lifts the men straight up with constant acceleration, is the tension in the rescue cable greater than, less than, or equal to the combined weight of the men? Explain. (b) Determine the tension in the cable if the men are lifted with a constant acceleration of 1.10 m/s2.

1 answer

F = M (g + a)

The acceleration, a, is positive if upward. That makes the tension greater than the weight in that case.