A Catenary Supported Camera

by Russell Henson

Submitted : Spring 2009

The author has analyzed a catenary support system, consisting of two supports linked by two equal cables, with given characteristics. Centered between the cables is a camera with a given mass. Using Newton's Law (F=MA), and realizing that the system is in equilibrium, it is possible to determine the tension in each cable at each support. Ultimately, the value of each component (x and y, respectively), are close enough in magnitude to assume that the angles at which the cables attach to the support were roughly 45 degrees from the horizontal, distributing the tensile loads evenly among the vertical and horizontal components.

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