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johnsonandrew
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Homework Statement
Three objects are connected by light strings as shown in Figure P4.62. The string connecting the m1 = 5.00 kg mass and the m2 = 4.00 kg mass passes over a light frictionless pulley.
a) find the acceleration of each object and
b) the tension in the two strings
Homework Equations
sumF = m*a
sumF1= m1*a = T1 - m1*g
sumF2= m2*a = T1 - m2*g - T2
sumF3= m3*a = T2 - m3*g
The Attempt at a Solution
I combined equations sumF1 and sumF2:
m1*a = T1 - m1*g
-m2*a = -T1 + m2g +T2
to get rid of one variable, T1, and I got
m2*g - m1*g + T2 = m1a - m2a
then in the sumF3 equation I solved for T2,
T2 = m3*a + m3*g
and plugged that into the above equation to get
m2*g - m1*g + (m3*a + m3*g) =m1*a - m2*a
I then plugged in my knowns to get 9.8 m/s/s, while the answer is supposed to be 1.63 m/s/s.
Can anyone please help? Where did I go wrong? I thought I understood this..
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