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Question

Difficulty: EasyTypes of Stress and Strain

A heavy shipping container is suspended steadily in the air by a single vertical steel cable attached to a helicopter. Which of the following types of stress is the steel cable primarily experiencing?

  1. TensionAnswer
  2. B
    Compression
  3. C
    Shear
  4. D
    Torsion

Answer

Tension
The correct answer is tension because the cable is subjected to opposing forces pulling outward from its center (the lifting force of the helicopter above and the weight of the container below). This pulling action tends to stretch or elongate the material, which is the exact definition of tensile stress.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the direction of the forces acting on the cable.
The helicopter exerts an upward force on the top of the cable, while gravity acting on the shipping container exerts a downward force on the bottom of the cable.
Understanding the direction of applied forces is required to determine the type of stress.
2
Determine how these forces affect the material of the cable.
The opposing outward forces pull the cable from both ends, attempting to stretch or elongate it.
Matching the physical effect to the definition of stress types reveals the answer.
3
Match the stretching effect to the correct stress terminology.
A pulling force that stretches a material is defined as tension.
Tension is the specific mechanical term for this type of load.

Key Concept

Types of Mechanical Stress (Tension)
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Topics

Types of Stress and Strain

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