AIIMS 2018 Physics Tension in a Lift MCQ Question

To find the tension (T) in the supporting cable when the lift accelerates upwards, we use Newton's second law. The total mass being accelerated is the sum of the person's mass (60 kg) and the lift's mass (940 kg), giving a total mass of 1000 kg. The net force required for the upward acceleration (1 m/s²) is calculated as $F_{net} = (m_{total})(a) = 1000 \, \text{kg} \times 1 \, \text{m/s}^{2} = 1000 \, \text{N}$. Additionally, we must account for the gravitational force acting on the total mass, which is $F_{gravity} = (m_{total})(g) = 1000 \, \text{kg} \times 10 \, \text{m/s}^{2} = 10000 \, \text{N}$. Therefore, the tension in the cable is $T = F_{gravity} + F_{net} = 10000 \, \text{N} + 1000 \, \text{N} = 11000 \, \text{N}$, making option C correct.

Options A (8600 N), B (9680 N), and D (1200 N) are incorrect as they do not account for the total gravitational force acting on both the lift and the person, nor do they correctly include