Classical Mechanics - Pulleys System

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a classical mechanics problem involving a system of pulleys. The original poster is tasked with finding the acceleration of a mass in a pulley system, given certain assumptions about the pulleys and the rope.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to relate the accelerations of two masses in the system and has derived an expression for acceleration. They question the role of the pulleys' radius and how to incorporate it into their calculations.
  • Some participants inquire about the visibility of the problem's diagram and suggest alternative ways to share it.
  • Others emphasize the importance of considering the mass and rotational inertia of the pulleys, suggesting that the tensions in the rope segments may differ due to the pulleys' mass.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing insights into the complexities of the problem, particularly regarding the effects of pulley mass and tension differences. There is no explicit consensus yet, but guidance is being offered on how to approach the analysis of the system.

Contextual Notes

The original poster mentions that the pulleys are assumed to be frictionless and that the rope is massless and inextensible. There is also a note about an attachment pending approval, which may affect the clarity of the problem setup.

TomAlso
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Homework Statement



Consider the pulleys system in the picture. Assume both pulleys are frictionless. Assume the rope is massless and inextensible. Find the acceleration of the mass [tex]m_2[/tex]


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I have solved the same problem with massless pulleys and I fail to see if their radii should be involved at all in the final result. So first notice that the acceleration of the mass [tex]m_2[/tex] is half of the acceleration of the mass [tex]m_1[/tex]. On [tex]m_1[/tex] we have:

[tex]m_1 g - T = m_1 a[/tex]

On [tex]m_2[/tex] we have:

[tex]2T - (m+m_2)g = (m+m_2) \cdot \frac{a}{2}[/tex]

which solves for

[tex]a = \frac{2*(m + m_2 - 2 m_1)}{4 m_1 + m + m_2}[/tex]

Anyone can offer any advice? In particular, how am I supposed to include the radius of the pulleys and the pulley that does not figure in the equation? Thank you!
 

Attachments

  • pulleys.jpg
    pulleys.jpg
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can you post the picture a different way? I can't see the attachment
 
The picture is just like http://img84.imageshack.us/i/carrucoleesameot5.jpg/" . Both pulleys have mass [tex]m[/tex] and radius [tex]r[/tex]. The mass labeled A is [tex]m_1[/tex] and B is [tex]m_2[/tex].

It says my attachment is pending approval, maybe that is the problem.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
TomAlso said:
Anyone can offer any advice? In particular, how am I supposed to include the radius of the pulleys and the pulley that does not figure in the equation?
(1) Since the pulleys have mass, you cannot assume that the tension in the rope is the same throughout. Treat each rope segment as having a different tension; Label the tensions T1, T2, and T3.
(2) Don't ignore the rotational inertia of the pulleys. I presume that you can model the pulleys as uniform disks. (You'll need to analyze both pulleys.)
 

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