Answer to Question #130590 in Physics for Catherine

Question

an elephant dragging a tree trunk along a horizontal surface by means of an attached rope makes an angle of 30 degrees with the horizontal. if the tension of the rope is 400N
1. Calculate the horizontal force exerted by the rope on the trunk .
2. Vertical component of the force exerted by the rope on the trunk

Answer 1

The horizontal component of the force exerted by the rope on the trunk

$$F_x=F\cos \theta=400\:\rm N\times \cos 30^{\circ}=346\:\rm N$$

The vertical component of the force exerted by the rope on the trunk

$$F_y=F\sin \theta=400\:\rm N\times \sin 30^{\circ}=200\:\rm N$$