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9665
Oct 17, 2009, 06:50 PM
I'm really stuck on this problem. The answer is supposed to be 3.3m/s squared

A 10.0 kg mass, m1, on a frictionless table is accelerated by a 5.0kg mass hanging over the edge of the table. What is the acceleration of the mass along the table?

Nhatkiem
Oct 17, 2009, 10:00 PM
The forces in play accelerating the mass is tension. If a 5kg mass is hanging over and pulling on the 10kg mass, then the tension at which the 5kg mass pulls is 5*g, or about 49 Newtons (estimated that g = 9.8 m/s squared.

We can derive acceleration from the tension formula (T=ma), therefore we get a = T/m. The tention is about 49, divided by the mass of 5 AND the 10kg mass (we have to encorporate total mass for tension situations).

a=49/(5+10) is about 3.3 m/s squared.