A uniform cable hanging over the edge of a tall building is 80 ft long and weighs 45 lb. How much work is required to pull 20 ft of the cable to the top of the building?

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**Physics Problem: Calculating Work**

**Problem Statement:**

A uniform cable hanging over the edge of a tall building is 80 feet long and weighs 45 pounds. How much work is required to pull 20 feet of the cable to the top of the building?

**Explanation:**

When solving this problem, it’s important to understand the concept of work in physics, specifically when dealing with gravity. Work is calculated as the force applied over a distance.

To solve this problem, we can follow these steps:

1. **Determine the force per unit length of the cable:**
   - Total weight of the cable: 45 lb
   - Total length of the cable: 80 ft
   - Force per unit length (weight per foot) = Total weight / Total length
     \[
     \frac{45 \text{ lb}}{80 \text{ ft}} = 0.5625 \text{ lb/ft}
     \]

2. **Calculate the force required to lift 20 feet of the cable:**
   - Force for 20 ft section = 20 ft * 0.5625 lb/ft = 11.25 lb

3. **Determine the average height each section is lifted:**
   - Since the cable is being pulled up uniformly, the average height that each section is lifted can be found by taking the midpoint of the 20-foot section.
   - Midpoint of 0 to 20 ft = 10 ft

4. **Calculate the amount of work done:**
   - Work = Force * Distance
     \[
     \text{Work} = 11.25 \text{ lb} \times 10 \text{ ft} = 112.5 \text{ foot-pounds}
     \]

So, **112.5 foot-pounds** of work is required to pull 20 feet of the cable to the top of the building. 

**Note:**
- Ensure students understand the application of integration if they are advanced enough in their studies to handle a more precise calculation.
- For a simpler level, understanding the basic concepts of force, work, and distance is key.
Transcribed Image Text:**Physics Problem: Calculating Work** **Problem Statement:** A uniform cable hanging over the edge of a tall building is 80 feet long and weighs 45 pounds. How much work is required to pull 20 feet of the cable to the top of the building? **Explanation:** When solving this problem, it’s important to understand the concept of work in physics, specifically when dealing with gravity. Work is calculated as the force applied over a distance. To solve this problem, we can follow these steps: 1. **Determine the force per unit length of the cable:** - Total weight of the cable: 45 lb - Total length of the cable: 80 ft - Force per unit length (weight per foot) = Total weight / Total length \[ \frac{45 \text{ lb}}{80 \text{ ft}} = 0.5625 \text{ lb/ft} \] 2. **Calculate the force required to lift 20 feet of the cable:** - Force for 20 ft section = 20 ft * 0.5625 lb/ft = 11.25 lb 3. **Determine the average height each section is lifted:** - Since the cable is being pulled up uniformly, the average height that each section is lifted can be found by taking the midpoint of the 20-foot section. - Midpoint of 0 to 20 ft = 10 ft 4. **Calculate the amount of work done:** - Work = Force * Distance \[ \text{Work} = 11.25 \text{ lb} \times 10 \text{ ft} = 112.5 \text{ foot-pounds} \] So, **112.5 foot-pounds** of work is required to pull 20 feet of the cable to the top of the building. **Note:** - Ensure students understand the application of integration if they are advanced enough in their studies to handle a more precise calculation. - For a simpler level, understanding the basic concepts of force, work, and distance is key.
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