Question

Activity: Two masses Here is a mass A and mass B, connected by a thin string with a frictionless pulley There is no friction between mass A and the table. MA Frictionless table Here ma 5.0 kg, me 3.0 kg mg You release the masses. Mass A begins accelerating to the right; mass B begins (a) Draw a force diagram for both mass A and mass B, so two force diagrams. (b) What is the acceleration of the system? (Hint: The magnitude of the acceleration of mass 2 and mass 1 is the SAME). (c) What is the tension in the string?

Answer 1

Above is shown the force diagram of the system. The acceleration a of the system is shown in the diagram. The equation of motion of the two bodies are given by: T = m_A a (1) m_B a = m_B g - T (2) rightdoublearrow m_B a = m_B g - m_A a 3 times a = 3 times 10 - 5a [taking g = 10 m/s^2] rightdoublearrow 8a = 30 a = 30/8 = 3.75 m/s^2 The acceleration of the system is 3.75 m/s^2 if we take g = 9.8 m/s^2 a = 3.675 m/s^2 The tension in the string is given by T = m_A a = 5 times 3.675 N. = 18.375 N