Safety engineers estimate that an elevator can hold 20 persons of 65 kg average mass. The elevator itself has amass of 450 kg. Tensile strength tests show that the cable supporting the elevator can tolerate a maximum force of 2.94e4 N. What is the greatest acceleration that the elevator's motor can produce without breaking the cable?

Question

Safety engineers estimate that an elevator can hold 20 persons of 65 kg average mass.  The elevator itself has amass of 450 kg.  Tensile strength tests show that the cable supporting the elevator can tolerate a maximum force of 2.94e4 N.  What is the greatest acceleration that the elevator's motor can produce without breaking the cable?

--Would you have to figure out the mass of the elevator with the maximum weight allowed?

drwls · Answer

The mass of the elevator will definitely affect the maximum weight allowed. (Maximum cable force) - (weight) = (Total Mass) x acceleration Solve for the acceleration. It will be the maximum allowable.

asdf · Answer

4.8 m/s^2