Question

a 10-m uniform beam weighing 120 n is supported by two vertical ropes at its ends. if a 500-n person sits at a point 2.0 m from the left end of the beam, what is the tension in each rope?

Answer 1

The tension in each rope would be 450 N (equal to the force required to keep the whole system in balance). The forces in the system are equal and opposite, so you would have the 500 N weight force acting downwards on the beam and the 450 N tension forces acting upwards on the two ends of the beam. This creates a net 0N force, which is what is needed for the system to be in constant static equilibrium.