PYQ Vault
EbooksTutor

Breaking stress: maximum load a wire or rope can support

This type of question, asked 5 times: 2021 Paper 19, 2021 Paper 21, 26 Jul 2022, 5 Apr 2026 S1, 6 Apr 2026 S1. All 5 questions below, oldest first.

Try each one first, then open its answer.

  1. Question 1

    2021 Paper 19

    20
    Two blocks of masses 3 kg3\text{ }kg and 5 kg5\text{ }kg are connected by a metal wire going over a smooth pulley. The breaking stress of the metal is 24π×102Nm−2\frac{24}{\pi}\times10^{2}Nm^{- 2}. What is the minimum radius of the wire? (Take g=10 ms−2g = 10{\text{ }ms}^{- 2} )

    Tap an option to check your answer.

  2. Question 2

    2021 Paper 21

    25
    Wires W1W_{1} and W2W_{2} are made of same material having the breaking stress of 1.25×109 N/m21.25 \times10^{9}\text{ }N/m^{2}. W1W_{1} and W2W_{2} have cross-sectional area of 8×10−7 m28 \times10^{- 7}{\text{ }m}^{2} and 4×10−7 m24 \times10^{- 7}{\text{ }m}^{2}, respectively. Masses of 20 kg20\text{ }kg and 10 kg10\text{ }kg hang from them as shown in the figure. The maximum mass that can be placed in the pan without breaking the wires is ____\_\_\_\_ kg. (Use g=10 m/s2g = 10\text{ }m/s^{2} )

  3. Question 3

    26 Jul 2022

    110
    The area of cross section of the rope used to lift a load by a crane is 2.5×10−4 m22.5 \times10^{- 4}{\text{ }m}^{2}. The maximum lifting capacity of the crane is 10 metric tons. To increase the lifting capacity of the crane to 25 metric tons, the required area of cross section of the rope should be : (take g=10 ms−2g = 10{\text{ }ms}^{- 2} )

    Tap an option to check your answer.

  4. Question 4

    5 Apr 2026 S1

    18
    Two wires as shown in the figure below, made of steel and have breaking stress of 12×108 N/m212 \times10^{8}\text{ }N/m^{2}. Area of cross-section of upper wire is 0.008 cm20.008{\text{ }cm}^{2} and of lower wire is 0.004 cm20.004{\text{ }cm}^{2}. The maximum mass that can be added to pan without breaking any wire is ____\_\_\_\_ kg. (Take g=10 m/s2g = 10\text{ }m/s^{2}.)

    Tap an option to check your answer.

  5. Question 5

    6 Apr 2026 S1

    5
    A lift of mass 1600 kg is supported by thick iron wire. If the maximum stress which the wire can withstand is 4×108 N/m24 \times10^{8}\text{ }N/m^{2} and its radius is 4 mm , then maximum acceleration the lift can take is ____\_\_\_\_ m/s2m/s^{2}. (take g=10 m/s2g = 10\text{ }m/s^{2} and π=3.14\pi= 3.14 )

    Tap an option to check your answer.