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tigigi
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I'm actually grading this stuff, and have a question. Ideally there's no friction and no kinetic energy of pulley. If we take them into account, which one is more important? I wonder how to analyze this? Thanks a lot.
An Atwood machine is a simple mechanical device that consists of two masses connected by a string or cable that runs over a pulley. It is used to demonstrate principles of motion and forces.
In an Atwood machine, one mass is typically larger than the other. Gravity causes the heavier mass to accelerate downwards, while the lighter mass accelerates upwards. This creates tension in the string or cable, which can be used to calculate the forces and acceleration of the system.
Friction is a force that acts in the opposite direction of motion and can affect the acceleration and velocity of the masses in an Atwood machine. In order to accurately analyze the system, the effects of friction must be taken into account.
Kinetic energy is the energy of motion and is an important factor in analyzing an Atwood machine problem. As the masses accelerate, they gain kinetic energy, which can be calculated and used to determine the overall energy of the system.
To solve an Atwood machine problem, you must first draw a free-body diagram to identify all the forces acting on the masses. Then, using Newton's second law and the equations for friction and kinetic energy, you can set up and solve equations to determine the acceleration, tensions, and other variables in the system.