Relation between Tension and net force

In summary, the tension along the rope is the force of gravity acting on the masses in the opposite direction of the applied force.
  • #1
Mr.Y
2
0
I am having a lot of difficulty understanding this concept.

Suppose you have two objects A,B of mass A',B' connected by a massless rope. Let K Newtons be the force applied on object A .What is now the tension along the rope ?


-My reasoning:

K Newtons is the force applied to the combination of masses A'+B' ,now to find the tension along the rope we have to find the forces acting on the rope.

Applying a force to object A we have by Newton's third that F (AR)=-F(RA) where AR denotes the force of A on the rope and viceversa.

Similarly, F(BR)=-F(RB) .

So the forces acting on the ropes are -F(RA)-F(RB)=F(BR)+F(AR) ,since the rope is massless I have that F(BR)=F(AR) so I just need to find one of these two forces to find the tension.

Now this is the part that's really confusing to me :we could have also found the tension by setting up the equation K-T=F(AR) ,where T denotes the tension. So solving the last equation we find the tension along the rope,but why ?
Can you give me both an intuitive argument and also show me where this follows from just mathematical formalism ? (I hope I am not asking too much )
 
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  • #2
The question is poorly defined but let us assume that masses are sitting on a level plane and that there are no friction forces acting .

When the force is applied to mass A what do you expect to happen physically ?
 
  • #3
I would expect the rope to exert the same force to object A in the opposite direction.
(Yes sorry I have forgot to define if there's friction and the direction of the forces,bear with me !)
 

1. What is the definition of tension?

Tension is the force that is transmitted through a string, rope, or cable when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends.

2. How is tension related to net force?

Tension is directly related to net force, as it is one of the components of net force. Net force is the overall force acting on an object, which is the vector sum of all the individual forces acting on that object. Tension is one of the forces that can contribute to net force.

3. What is the difference between tension and net force?

Tension is a specific type of force, while net force is the overall force acting on an object. Tension is the force transmitted through a string, rope, or cable, while net force takes into account all forces acting on an object, including tension.

4. How does tension affect the motion of an object?

The magnitude and direction of tension can affect the motion of an object. If tension is the only force acting on an object, it will accelerate in the direction of the tension. If there are other forces at play, such as gravity or friction, tension can contribute to the overall net force and affect the object's motion accordingly.

5. Can tension and net force ever be equal?

Yes, tension and net force can be equal in certain cases. In an object that is at rest or moving at a constant velocity, the net force acting on the object is zero. This means that the individual forces, including tension, must also add up to zero, making tension and net force equal.

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