Calculating Tension in a Pulley System on a Sloped Surface

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The discussion focuses on calculating the tension in a pulley system with one mass on a slope and another hanging. The user initially miscalculated the net force and tension, failing to account for the tension force in their equations. After clarification, they correctly derived the net forces acting on both masses using free body diagrams. Ultimately, they calculated the acceleration and found the tension to be 388.372N, confirming their solution was accurate despite initial confusion. The conversation highlights the importance of correctly applying free body diagrams and understanding the forces involved in such systems.
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Homework Statement


In the diagram, the pulley is frictionless and the
string is massless. Given: m2 = 90 kg, m1 = 2m2,  angle=
26o, and μk = 0.11. Determine the tension in the string.

The m2 is on a sloped hill, m1 is dangling down off of the pully


Homework Equations



Fg=mg
F=ma
Fk=uk(Fn)

The Attempt at a Solution



I found the net force for m2 to be 386.643-the friction force which is 87.201=299.442N. then I subtracted from the Fg of m1=1764N. So 1764-299.442=1464.56N so the tension=1464.56N did I do this right?
 
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SilentBlade91 said:

I found the net force for m2 to be 386.643-the friction force which is 87.201=299.442N.
That's NOT[/color] the net force, because you did not include the tension force, T, in that equation. The net force is then equal to m2a
subtracted from the Fg of m1=1764N. So 1764-299.442=1464.56N so the tension=1464.56N did I do this right?
No, you have to look at the hanging block separately using a free body diagram. What are the forces acting on m1, what's the net force? Then again the net force =m1a. Solve the 2 equations with 2 unknowns for T.
 
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Ummm I am not sure exactly if I got what ur saying right, but I used the Fnet for m2 I found before that you said was right (299.442) and used the mass of m2 (90) to find a which equaled 3.32713m/s^2. Then i used that acceleration and used it to multiply with m1 (180) to get 598.883N. Idk if that is the T or what... I probably did none of that right hahaa.
 
SilentBlade91 said:
Ummm I am not sure exactly if I got what ur saying right, but I used the Fnet for m2 I found before that you said was right (299.442) and used the mass of m2 (90) to find a which equaled 3.32713m/s^2. Then i used that acceleration and used it to multiply with m1 (180) to get 598.883N. Idk if that is the T or what... I probably did none of that right hahaa.
Sorry, i meant to say that was not the net force. Ill edit that response.
 
Okay so I made separate free body diagrams of each.

On m1 there would only be 2 forces correct? The FGm1-1764 going down and the T going up?

Then on m2 there would be a Force of 299.442 (after subtracting the friction force) but then going that same direction as F would be T right?

So I did T+F=m2a which would come out as T=m2a-F

Then for m1 i did Fgm1-T=m1a then replaced the T with (m2a-F)

so Fgm1-(m2a-F)=m1a which finding acceleration would come out as a=(Fgm1+F)/(m1+m2)

so a=(1764+299.442)/(180+90)=7.64238m/s^2

so then I plugged that acceleration into T=m2a-F so T=90(7.64238)-299.442= a tension of 388.372N. I hope that is right this has been a pain haaha
 
I get a different answer. (Edit: seems like I solved a different variation of the problem based on my interpretation of the words...)
 
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Turns out my answer was right.
 

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