In article , (Harry K) wrote:
"Greg O" wrote in message
...
"The Other Harry" wrote in message
...

The question was (and is), what happens to the load?

If the entire pot arrangement weighs 40 pounds, does half
of that load go to the top hook and half of it go to the
anchor hook?

--
Harry

I am assuming you have a rope attached to the pot, that runs up to a hook or
pulley attached to the ceiling,, then back down to an cleat.
If the pot weighs 40 lbs, the top hook in the ceiling, (or window frame,
whatever!) with the pulley will be carrying 80 lbs. The tension, (weight)
felt by the rope at the cleat will be 40 lbs.
Greg

Wrong. The tension on both sides will be equal (20 lbs) and the top
hook will feel 40lbs. There is nothing being added to the 40 lbs to
increase it to 80. I think you have confused the effect of a pulley
which, when rigged right, will cut the lifting force by 1/2.

It appears that *you* are the confused one here. A *movable* pulley will cut
the lifting force in half. A *fixed* pulley only changes the direction in
which the force is applied -- and this situation is entirely analogous to a
fixed pulley.

--------40----top-------------
/\
/ \
20/ \20
/ \
load/40 \anchor
------------bottom-------

Nope. You have a major problem he on the left side, a 40-lb weight is
suspended on a rope that has only 20 lbs tension. Doesn't work that way.

Suppose the anchor on the right is replaced by an un-anchored weight. What
weight is required on the right to balance the 40 lb weight on the left?
According to your diagram, the answer is 20 lbs. Now do you see your error?

--------------------top--------------
\anchor /anchor or pulley
\ /
\20 /20
\ /
\ /
\/
40
load with pulley
--------------------bottom----------

Not the same situation.