How Do You Calculate Tension in a String Connecting Two Masses on an Incline?

[jordanilyily]

I had a quiz today and part two of a question asked for the tension on a string. The problem was something along the lines of -- mass 1 = 6kg and mass 2 = 5kg. Mass 1 is attached to mass 2 by a weightless rope on an incline of 33 degrees. For mass 1 the kinetic friction is mu = 0.50; find the acceleration of mass 1 (which I found) and the tension of the string.

I turned in the quiz at the end of class etcetc and asked the professor if the work I had done was correct for that portion of which he said no. So I was wondering if anyone could display the formula for me so I can try out a few problems using it? Thanks!

 

[PhanthomJay]

Is mass 1 on the incline and mass 2 hanging straight down from a pulley attached to the top of the incline? If you correctly calculated the acceleration, the tension (not tensor) in the string can be found by isolating one of the masses in a Free Body Diagram, looking at the forces acting on it, and using Newton 2 for that mass to solve for the tension. Then look at the other mass , identify the force, and use Newton 2 to see if you get the same tension value, as a check.

 

[jordanilyily]

yes, mass 1 is on the incline and mass 2 is hanging from a rope straight down via pulley. thank you! :3

 

[PhanthomJay]

And so the tension is____??