Equilibrium of concurrent forces
The flatter the ropes, the greater the tension.
When an object is at rest, the net force on it is zero: the two rope tensions and the weight, placed tip to tail, form a closed triangle exactly. The larger the angles the ropes make with the vertical, the greater the tensions; when the ropes are nearly horizontal, the tension can be far greater than the object's weight.
This is a static model: forces and the graph update as soon as you change a parameter.
Rope tensions vs. left rope angle
Right rope angle and weight held at current values; the closer the left rope is to horizontal, the greater both tensions.
Think about it
When both ropes make 60° with the vertical, how many times the object's weight is the tension in each rope?
Exactly 1× the weight. With α = β = 60°, T = G sin 60° / sin 120° = G. At any larger angle, the tension exceeds the weight.
Model assumptionsLight ropes · Three forces concurrent at the knot · Object at rest
Data log
Set the parameters and click “Record data”. Record several rows with different parameters to plot their relationship and fit a straight line; pause and record at different times to study how a reading changes with time.