A Physics Question

Question

A helicopter of mass 3770 kg can create an upward lift force F. When empty, it can accelerate straight upward at a maximum of 1.37 m/s². A careless crewman overloads the helicopter so that it is just unable to lift off. What is the mass of the cargo?

Answer 1

F = ma

F = (3770)(1.37)

F = 5164.9 N

So the force of lift on the empty helicopter is 5164.9 N.

If it is loaded so that it no longer can lift off, then the force of the load must be an offsetting 5164.9 N (or, in other words, the weight of the load is 5164.9 N).

To find the mass of that load, we must consider that the weight is the mass times the acceleration due to gravity

W = mg

m = W/g = 5164.9/9.81 = 526 kg