GATE 2016 ME (ME1) – Question 16
A rigid ball of weight 100 N is suspended with the help of a string. The ball is pulled by a horizontal force F such that the string makes an angle of 30° with the vertical. The magnitude of force F (in N) is ______.
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Correct answer: 55 to 60
Explanation
Vertical balance gives Tcos30°=100N. Horizontal balance gives F=Tsin30°. Eliminating T yields F=100tan30°=**57.735N**. The string tension itself is larger than this horizontal component.