Question

A seashell is suspended in the air at rest by two strands of spider silk. Each strand of silk makes an angle of 75 degrees above the horizontal, and experiences a tension of 1.42 N.

What is the mass of the seashell?

Answer 1

The mass of the seashell suspended by the two strands of spider silk is 0.28 kg.

The given parameters:

• Tension on each strand of silk, T = 1.42 N
• Angle of inclination of each strand, θ = 75⁰

The mass of the seashell at equilibrium is calculated by applying Newton's second law of motion;

$\Sigma F = 0\\\\T_1 sin(\theta) + T_2 sin(\theta) - W = 0$

where;

• W is the weight of the seashell

The weight of the seashell is calculated as;

$1.42 \times sin(75) \ + \ 1.42 \times sin(75) \ - W = 0\\\\2.743 - W = 0\\\\W = 2.743 \ N$

The mass of the seashell is calculated as follows;

$W = mg\\\\m = \frac{W}{g} \\\\m = \frac{2.743}{9.8} \\\\m = 0.28 \ kg$

Thus, the mass of the seashell suspended by the two strands of spider silk is 0.28 kg.

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