AriAstronomer
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Homework Statement
A block of mass m1 = 2.00 kg and a block of mass m 2 =
6.00 kg are connected by a massless string over a pulley
in the shape of a disk having radius R = 0.250 m and
mass M = 10.0 kg. These blocks are allowed to move on
a fixed block – wedge of angle 30.0°, as shown in
Figure P10.39. The coefficient of kinetic friction for
both blocks is 0.360. Draw free-body diagrams of both
blocks and of the pulley. Determine (a) the acceleration
of the two blocks and (b) the tensions in the string on
both sides of the pulley.
Diagram: http://www.webassign.net/pse/pse6_p10-37.gif
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Now I know how to solve this problem, the only thing I'm stuck on, is the pulley. I know that you have to make a substitution for the acceleration using:
Torque = (T1 + T2)R = I(alpha)
T1 + T2 = I(a/R^2).
The only thing I don't understand is why T1 is negative and T2 is positive (T1 being the tension affecting m1, and T2 affecting T2). By R.H.R, torque1 = T1xR = out of page, which I just assumed should be positive, and thus T2 should be negative, but I only get the right answer if I have T2 - T1 = I(a/R^2), and not T1 - T2 = I(a/R^2). I don't think I'm missing a sign anywhere else, this is kind of a popular problem, and have compared my solutions to others.
Any help would be appreciated.
Ari