Holding a load steady with two slings, increasing the angle from vertical causes the per-sling load to do what?

• A. Increases
• B. Decreases
• C. Stays the same
• D. Varies with angle

Answer: (A)

When two slings share a load, each sling carries a vertical component of its tension that supports the weight. If θ is the angle from vertical for each sling, the vertical components add up to the total weight: 2 T cos(θ) = W. Solving for T gives T = W / (2 cos(θ)). As the angle from vertical increases, cos(θ) decreases, so the required tension per sling increases to keep the load steady. For example, with the slings nearly vertical (cos close to 1), each sling carries about half the weight; as you move the slings outward and θ grows, the tension in each sling must rise to hold the same weight.