🔍 Key Concepts

• Inertia and acceleration of the load when starting or stopping motion • Difference between tension at constant speed vs tension when speeding up or slowing down • Effect of direction of acceleration relative to gravity (up vs down)

💭 Think About

• When the load is moving at a constant speed, how does the tension in the cargo runner compare to the weight of the load? • When you speed up or slow down a load, how does the extra force from acceleration add to or subtract from the load’s weight in the rope? • Think about both raising and lowering: in which combination of direction (up or down) and acceleration (speeding up or slowing down) would the rope need to support more than just the weight of the load?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear whether the load is accelerating or at constant speed – tension changes with acceleration, not with speed alone • Check the sign of acceleration: is it acting with gravity or against gravity? This changes whether the rope force is more or less than the weight • Verify which situation makes the effective load in the rope (weight ± mass × acceleration) the largest overall