As the sling-to-load angle decreases, which describes the change in sling tension?

• A. Decreases
• B. Increases slightly
• C. Increases
• D. Becomes zero

Answer: (C)

When a load is supported by two slings, the vertical pull from each sling must combine to equal the load weight. If each sling makes an angle θ with the horizontal, the vertical component of each tension is T sin θ, so the total vertical support is 2 T sin θ = W. Solve for tension: T = W / (2 sin θ). As the sling-to-load angle decreases, sin θ gets smaller, so T must increase to keep supporting the same weight. That’s why tightening the angle (making it smaller) raises the sling tension. For example, lowering the angle from 30° to 15° increases the required tension noticeably.