Can someone please help explain how the arithmetic sum of 2 forces can be greater than the load it carries?

Question

physics.

Answer 1

Force is a vector. If you have one force pointed northeast and another northwest the east/west component would cancel each other out. The arithmatic sum of their magnitudes is the whole force.

If you have equal forces, one going north and one south, the net force would be 0 no matter how large the arithmetic sum might be.

Answer 2

If I understand the question correctly, it would simply be a lever, pulley system, or some other type of mechanical advantage. In this case, a mechanical disadvantage as relates to the forces.