What will occur if a square metal plate hanging by four wires loses one wire?

When a square metal plate is suspended by four wires and one of those wires is removed, the distribution of forces acting on the plate changes significantly. The four wires originally provided support in all directions, balancing the weight of the plate evenly.

When one wire is lost, the remaining three wires will experience an increase in strain as they must now support the entire weight of the plate. The most effective support would likely come from the two wires that are not opposite each other (i.e., the wires adjacent to each other), as they will share the load with the third wire. However, it’s important to recognize that the configuration of the plate means that if only one wire was removed, the remaining wires form a triangular support system.

In this scenario, the two diagonal wires together with one of the horizontal wires can be considered to provide the necessary support for the plate, keeping it from falling immediately. However, while maintaining the plate in a temporary state, the remaining wires may be under considerable stress that could lead to potential failure of one or more of them.

This explanation highlights the stability of the plate and the function of load distribution among the wires. The choice that suggests only the two diagonal wires will support it recognizes that the two remaining diagonal wires provide