Acceleration of a cart immediately after the system is released

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around determining the acceleration of a cart and the tension in a cord when a block is released from rest. Participants explore the relationship between the forces acting on the block and the cart, specifically focusing on the tension and its components. Confusion arises regarding the acceleration of the center of mass and how it relates to the movement of both the block and the cart. Key equations are derived, emphasizing that the tension in the cord affects the horizontal acceleration of the cart and the vertical acceleration of the block. The conversation highlights the need to consider the constant length of the cord when analyzing the system's dynamics.
randomgamernerd
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Homework Statement

:
A block B of mass m is suspended from a cord of length l attached to cart A of mass M as shown in the figure. The horizontal surface on which the cart moves is smooth. Initially the cart and the block are at rest in the position shown. Now the block is released. Take M=2kg, θ=45⁰ and g=10m/s².
Acceleration of the cart immediately after the system is released from rest and tension in the cord developed immediately is?

Homework Equations

: [/B]Balancing components of forces.

The Attempt at a Solution

; [/B]
so as soon as the system is released from rest, tension in the chord acts, and I think that is because of mgCosθ . So tension should be 20cos45⁰ which is not the answer.
For horizontal acceleration of cart, I’m confused. I believe tension force gives the horizontal component of force which is responsible for accelertion of the cart. But since no external force is acting on the system, then centre of mass should not move, which means it will have acceleration in opposite direction of acceleration of block B. After this i don't know what to do.
Sorry for poor quality of the image.
IMG_20180512_185837.jpg
 

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randomgamernerd said:

Homework Statement

:
A block B of mass m is suspended from a cord of length l attached to cart A of mass M as shown in the figure. The horizontal surface on which the cart moves is smooth. Initially the cart and the block are at rest in the position shown. Now the block is released. Take M=2kg, θ=45⁰ and g=10m/s².
Acceleration of the cart immediately after the system is released from rest and tension in the cord developed immediately is?

Homework Equations

: [/B]Balancing components of forces.

The Attempt at a Solution

; [/B]
so as soon as the system is released from rest, tension in the chord acts, and I think that is because of mgCosθ . So tension should be 20cos45⁰ which is not the answer.
For horizontal acceleration of cart, I’m confused. I believe tension force gives the horizontal component of force which is responsible for accelertion of the cart. But since no external force is acting on the system, then centre of mass should not move, which means it will have acceleration in opposite direction of acceleration of block B. After this i don't know what to do.
Sorry for poor quality of the image.View attachment 225607
The center of mass should not accelerate in the opposite direction from the block. If it is not moving, it will not accelerate at all.
Given your expression for the tension on the chord, what is the horizontal component of the force? What acceleration does it cause for the block?
How does this compare with the horizontal acceleration of the pendulum mass? What is the effect on the center of mass?
 
randomgamernerd said:
So tension should be 20cos45⁰
If that were the case, what would be the vertical acceleration of block B?
 
haruspex said:
If that were the case, what would be the vertical acceleration of block B?

That is the reason I’m confused. Vertical acceleration of block B is g? or is there some centripetal force acting whose vertical component gets added up?
 
tnich said:
The center of mass should not accelerate in the opposite direction from the block. If it is not moving, it will not accelerate at all.
Given your expression for the tension on the chord, what is the horizontal component of the force? What acceleration does it cause for the block?
How does this compare with the horizontal acceleration of the pendulum mass? What is the effect on the center of mass?

By “it” i meant the cart, not the centre of mass. Can you please rephrase your question a bit?[emoji28]
 
randomgamernerd said:
By “it” i meant the cart, not the centre of mass. Can you please rephrase your question a bit?[emoji28]
OK. What is the horizontal component of the tension on the cord?
 
tnich said:
OK. What is the horizontal component of the tension on the cord?

mgCosθSinθ?
Image1526177851.902224.jpg

Sorry for my poor handwriting.
But I think according to the FBD i have sketched, Tcosθ=mg. and not T=mgCosθ
 

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randomgamernerd said:
mgCosθSinθ?View attachment 225641
Sorry for my poor handwriting.
But I think according to the FBD i have sketched, Tcosθ=mg. and not T=mgCosθ
No, you were right the first time, and you are correct on the horizontal component of the tension. So what is the acceleration of the block?
 
tnich said:
No, you were right the first time, and you are correct on the horizontal component of the tension. So what is the acceleration of the block?

mgCosθSinθ/M=10/2=5m/s² but that is not the answer, the answer given is 10/3
 
  • #10
randomgamernerd said:
But I think according to the FBD i have sketched, Tcosθ=mg. and not T=mgCosθ
Neither. T=mgCosθ would be correct if the cart were fixed, but the cart's acceleration reduces the tension.

Let the cart's acceleration be a to the left, while suspended mass has accelerations b to the right (in the lab frame) and c down.
What equations can you write relating these to the tension?
What equation in these expresses the fact that the string has constant length?
 
  • #11
haruspex said:
Neither. T=mgCosθ would be correct if the cart were fixed, but the cart's acceleration reduces the tension.

Let the cart's acceleration be a to the left, while suspended mass has accelerations b to the right (in the lab frame) and c down.
What equations can you write relating these to the tension?
What equation in these expresses the fact that the string has constant length?
i guess mc=mg-TCosθ
mb=Tsinθ
since centre of mass should not accelerate, i guess a=b
 
  • #12
randomgamernerd said:
i guess mc=mg-TCosθ
mb=Tsinθ
since centre of mass should not accelerate, i guess a=b
Right. What about my last question in post #10?
 
  • #13
haruspex said:
Right. What about my last question in post #10?

By “string has constant length” do you mean the string remains taut and does not get slack at any point of time or do you mean it is unstretchable?
Can you give a little more hint?
 
  • #14
randomgamernerd said:
By “string has constant length” do you mean the string remains taut and does not get slack at any point of time or do you mean it is unstretchable?
Both.
randomgamernerd said:
Can you give a little more hint?
If two accelerating objects stay a constant distance apart, what can you say about their accelerations in a certain direction?
 
  • #15
haruspex said:
Both.

If two accelerating objects stay a constant distance apart, what can you say about their accelerations in a certain direction?

They have equal component of acceleration in that direction? Equal in magnitude. not sure of the sign. should have same sign as well. if they stay at constant distance apart, then relative acceleration should be zero in the direction tangential to the string ? But which of the three equations I wrote is expressed here? a=b ? but then relative acceleration of the block and the cart will not be zero[emoji27]
 
  • #16
randomgamernerd said:
relative acceleration should be zero in the direction tangential to the string ?
Right.
First, find the relative acceleration of the two masses as horizontal and vertical components.
 
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