Conquer the 2026 ACT Science Test – Unleash Your Inner Science Whiz!

The force exerted by the cord holding a suspended object is directly related to the weight of the object due to the principles of equilibrium and tension in mechanics. When an object is hanging stationary from a cord, it is in a state of equilibrium, meaning that the forces acting on it are balanced.

The weight of the object is the force due to gravity pulling it downward, while the tension in the cord acts upward to counterbalance this force. For an object that is not accelerating, the tension in the cord must exactly match the weight of the object. Therefore, in a steady state where the object is simply suspended and not moving, the force in the cord is equal to the weight of the object. This relationship holds true as long as no other forces (like additional acceleration or movement) are acting on the system.

In summary, the force exerted by the cord is equal to the object's weight when the object is stationary, confirming the correctness of the answer.