Frictionless blocks and a pulley with force F

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on solving a physics problem involving frictionless blocks and a massless, frictionless pulley. The user struggles with drawing accurate free body diagrams for the masses involved, specifically M1 and M3, in an accelerating system. Key insights include the understanding that the normal force between the two masses is an action-reaction pair, and the relationship between the forces can be described using Newton's second law (F=ma). The user successfully revised their diagrams to reflect the correct forces before submission.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Familiarity with free body diagrams
  • Concept of normal force in physics
  • Knowledge of massless and frictionless systems
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  • Study advanced free body diagram techniques in physics
  • Learn about tension in strings in accelerating systems
  • Explore the implications of massless pulleys in mechanics
  • Review Newton's second law applications in multi-body systems
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Students studying physics, particularly those focusing on mechanics and dynamics, as well as educators looking for examples of free body diagram applications in frictionless systems.

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Sort of urgent. I've been looking at this problem for days and it's due tomorrow afternoon.

Homework Statement


q3.gif

Draw a free body diagram for each of the masses. All surfaces are frictionless. The pulley is massless and frictionless. The connecting strings denoted by dotted lines are massless and inextensible. M_{1} has no acceleration in the y-direction (forces cancel)

Homework Equations


None

The Attempt at a Solution


I have none. This is part a of a multistep problem and I know how to do the other parts if I can get this part. Unfortunately, I'm awful at free body diagrams, especially in an accelerating system. And it's due tomorrow afternoon. After several days of trying I have nothing to show for it.

EDIT: Have I done this correctly?[PLAIN]http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/1176/img0079hh.jpg
[PLAIN]http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/141/img0080ch.jpg
 
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Except for m1a and m3a, it looks good. Mass 3 exerts a normal force on mass 1 and vice versa. The two forces are an action-reaction pair. For mass 3, the normal force exerted by mass 1 turns out to be equal to m1a, which is a consequence of F=ma, but the force on mass 1 isn't equal to m3a.
 
Awesome, thanks. I actually already turned in the set, but that's what I changed it to when I realized the forces didn't add up right.
 

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