The direction in which a rope moves depends on the net force applied to it. For example, in a tug of war, the rope moves toward the side exerting the stronger force. If both sides pull with equal force, the rope does not move because the forces are balanced and the resultant force is zero
. Regarding tension in the rope, the tension force at any point in the rope acts along the rope, pulling away from the object or point of interest. So, the tension force points away from the mass or load and along the direction of the rope or string. For instance, if a mass is hanging from a rope, the tension in the rope pulls upward on the mass, so the tension force on the rope points upward on that side
. If a wave pulse travels along a rope, the points on the rope move perpendicular (transverse) to the direction of the wave travel, meaning the rope itself moves up and down or side to side while the wave moves along the rope horizontally
. In summary:
- The rope moves toward the side applying the greater force (e.g., in tug of war)
- Tension force in the rope acts along the rope, away from the mass or load
- Points on the rope move perpendicular to the direction of a traveling wave pulse on the rope
Thus, the rope's movement direction depends on the net force applied, while tension forces always pull along the rope away from the load or mass.
