How Do You Incorporate Drag Force in Free Body Diagrams for Multiple Objects?

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on incorporating drag force into free body diagrams for multiple objects, specifically in the context of three ducks interacting with each other. The standard procedure involves drawing individual free body diagrams for each duck and systematically assigning unknown forces between them. Participants emphasize the importance of applying Newton's second law, F=ma, for each duck to analyze the forces accurately. Understanding these principles is crucial for effectively modeling the interactions and drag forces present in the scenario.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of free body diagrams
  • Familiarity with Newton's second law (F=ma)
  • Basic knowledge of drag force concepts
  • Experience with multi-object force analysis
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the principles of drag force in fluid dynamics
  • Learn how to construct free body diagrams for multiple objects
  • Explore advanced applications of Newton's laws in multi-body systems
  • Research techniques for solving systems of equations in physics
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Physics students, educators, and engineers involved in mechanics, particularly those working on problems involving multiple interacting bodies and drag forces.

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Homework Statement
Three toy ducks on wheels are attached to the same rope and a boy begins pulling one end of the rope with a force of 10 N. The first duck (duck 1) has a mass of 1.0 kg, the middle duck (duck 2) has a mass of 5.0 kg, and the third duck in line (duck 3) has a mass of 2.0 kg. I already calculated the acceleration of the three ducks in part a of this question (1.25 m/s^2). The next thing is to find the tension force in the rope connecting ducks 1 and 2. I don't understand how to go about doing this: any help is appreciated!
Relevant Equations
F = ma
I don't even know how to begin this. I know that I need to somehow account for the drag force that duck 3 is causing on the first 2, but I don't know how to deal with that. I am asking for someone to help me get started, not to give me the answer.
 
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There can be shortcuts, but the standard procedure is to draw a free body diagram for each duck and assign unknowns to the forces between them in a consistent manner.
Then write the F=ma equation for each duck.
 
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