Halliday, Resnick & Walker — Force and Motion–I: Problem 16

Some insects can walk below a thin rod (such as a twig) by hanging from it. Suppose that such an insect has mass \( m \) and hangs from a horizontal rod as shown in Fig. 5.17, with angle \( \theta = 40^\circ \). Its six legs are all under the same tension, and the leg sections nearest the body are horizontal. (a) What is the ratio of the tension in each tibia (forepart of a leg) to the insect’s weight? (b) If the insect straightens out its legs somewhat, does the tension in each tibia increase, decrease, or stay the same?