The discussion revolves around a pulley system involving two masses, m1 and m2, with specific values provided. The original poster seeks to determine the acceleration of m1 on a frictionless surface, while participants explore the relationships between the masses and the forces acting on them.
The discussion is active, with participants questioning assumptions about the forces and accelerations in the system. Some guidance has been offered regarding visualizing the movement of the masses and the implications for the rope length, but no consensus has been reached on the correct approach or solution.
Participants are grappling with the implications of a frictionless surface and the dynamics of the pulley system, including the relationship between the movements of m1 and m2. There is an emphasis on understanding the physical setup and the forces involved without providing definitive answers.
No. But those are the forces acting on m2. (They would only be equal if m2 were not accelerating.)grouchy said:for m2, would the weight W, be equal to 2T?
No. Try to think this through. (Using a piece of string to work it out may help--I'm not kidding.) If m1 moves 1 m to the right, how far down does m2 move?also I think a1 = a2