A 600 kg ski gondola is pulled up a 15 degree hill with a 550 m long, 1.5 cm diameter, steel cable. The coefficient of friction between the ski gondola and the incline surface is 0.2. When the gondola reaches the top of the incline, it bumps into the terminal and sends a wave pulse along the cable. It was observed that it took 15 seconds for the pulse to return back up the cable. A) What is the speed of the wave pulse? B) What is the tension in the cable? Please help! What steps and formulas would I need to use to answer parts A and B? what units should I get? Thank you, for any help!

Question

A 600 kg ski gondola is pulled up a 15 degree hill with a 550 m long, 1.5 cm diameter, steel cable. The coefficient of friction between the ski gondola and the incline surface is 0.2.  When the gondola reaches the top of the incline, it bumps into the terminal and sends a wave pulse along the cable.  It was observed that it took 15 seconds for the pulse to return back up the cable.  A) What is the speed of the wave pulse?  B) What is the tension in the cable?   Please help! What steps and formulas would I need to use to answer parts A and B? what units should I get? Thank you, for any help!

anonymous · Answer

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find T...
a)speed of the wAVE PULSE=LENGTH OF THE CABLE/TIME TAKEN TO TRAVEL THIS LENGTH
b)find T from the free body diagram..assuming the system at equilibrium position...