4.5 Exercise 4

Two teams are engaging in a tug–of-war. The rope suddenly snaps. Which statement is true about the forces involved?

1. The forces exerted by the two teams are no longer equal; the teams will accelerate in opposite directions as a result.
2. The forces exerted by the players are no longer balanced by the force of tension in the rope; the teams will accelerate in opposite directions as a result.
3. The force of gravity balances the forces exerted by the players; the teams will fall as a result
4. The force of tension in the rope is transferred to the players; the teams will accelerate in opposite directions as a result.