How do you find tension and friction on an inclined plane

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on calculating tension and friction in a pulley system involving two masses on an inclined plane. The first mass (1.8 kg) hangs vertically while the second mass (3.8 kg) is on a 40-degree incline, accelerating at 1.2 m/s². Key equations include Fnet = Fg + FT for the hanging mass and Fnet = Fg - FT - Ff for the mass on the incline, where Ff is the frictional force. The coefficient of kinetic friction can be derived using μ = Ff / FN, where FN is the normal force.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's second law (F = ma)
  • Knowledge of inclined plane physics and forces
  • Familiarity with friction concepts, including coefficients of friction
  • Ability to solve systems of equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of the equations for tension and friction in pulley systems.
  • Learn how to calculate normal force (FN) on an inclined plane.
  • Explore the relationship between acceleration, mass, and tension in dynamic systems.
  • Investigate the effects of different angles on friction and tension calculations.
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Students in physics courses, particularly those studying mechanics, as well as educators and tutors looking to clarify concepts related to tension and friction in pulley systems.

  • #31
A fully frictionless pulley system would slip between pulley and rope, making the pulley mass irrelevant.
Anyway, no information about the pulley system is given, so frictionless and massless is the most reasonable assumption.
 
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  • #32
mfb said:
A fully frictionless pulley system would slip between pulley and rope, making the pulley mass irrelevant.
Yes, but that is never what is meant in a problem statement by a 'frictionless pulley'. If it were frictionless in that sense there would be no need for it to be a pulley - it could just be a frictionless shoulder.
mfb said:
Anyway, no information about the pulley system is given, so frictionless and massless is the most reasonable assumption.
Sure, but Leah (or other readers) may in future encounter problems where the pulley has inertia, so I felt it was important to get the statement right. (And problems where the pulley has relevant inertia may also describe the pulley as frictionless, without necessarily clarifying that this only refers to the axle.)
 

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