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View Full Version : What's the spring balance's reading


muditi
Jun 19, 2009, 11:25 AM
A weight of 10kg is hanged on a spring balance and the spring balance along with the weight is hanged on another spring balance.

What will be the reading on both of the balances and why.

This question is given in my workbook and I am going mad day and night.

Please... help me !

Perito
Jun 19, 2009, 12:02 PM
The "spring balance" is common in problems, even though they don't make many of them any more. There are obviously more accurate balances.

On the first spring balance, the balance reading will obviously be 10 Kg. Right?

The weight and the spring balance is hanged on another spring balance. It sounds like this second spring balance is independent of the first balance. If the two weights are simply sitting on the spring, the second spring balance will read 10 Kg plus the weight of the first spring balance. Since we don't have a clue as to the mass of the first spring balance, we can't really say exactly what the reading will be. So, I'd just say "> 10 Kg). At least that's how the problem sounds to me.

However, if both spring balances are being suspended from the ceiling, and the 10 Kg weight is suspended from both of them, then the above description won't be the case. It'll be 5 Kg on both balances.