How does a balanced pulley system move if it's in equilibrium?

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Seneka
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Homework Statement


Exam page diagram of a counterweight pulley system: a weight on the left hangs from a rope over pulleys to a motor and a lift on the right with three stick figures inside.

Scanned exam page showing parts (c) and (d) of an elevator question: (c) asks for average speed and kinetic energy during a 30 s upward journey to the third floor, and (d) asks for greatest speed during 10 s acceleration and 10 s deceleration with the same constant force.


2. Relevant equation

The Attempt at a Solution

...[/B]
Part c)
I'm confused as to how the actual pulley system works. If its balanced wouldn't it be stationary. How does it move?
I thought that since its balanced the acceleration of the system is constant and therefore to find the average kinetic energy of the system, I would just do 1/2 x (2000 + 1000) x (9/30)^2
The answers say that the weight only moves half as far. How do you know this?
 
Attachments
  • Screenshot of exam question 25(b): a pulley diagram with a lift car carrying three stick figures on one side, a weight on the other side, and a motor attached to the pulley system.
    upload_2018-10-23_13-50-48.png
    19.3 KB · Views: 419
  • Exam page diagram of a counterweight pulley system: a weight on the left hangs from a rope over pulleys to a motor and a lift on the right with three stick figures inside.
    upload_2018-10-23_13-51-33.png
    20.6 KB · Views: 793
  • Scanned exam page showing parts (c) and (d) of an elevator question: (c) asks for average speed and kinetic energy during a 30 s upward journey to the third floor, and (d) asks for greatest speed during 10 s acceleration and 10 s deceleration with the same constant force.
    upload_2018-10-23_13-51-47.png
    15.3 KB · Views: 597
Seneka said:
If its balanced wouldn't it be stationary. How does it move?
I believe by "balanced" they mean that the net force is zero.

Seneka said:
The answers say that the weight only moves half as far. How do you know this?
Note how the cable attaches to the weight. When the weight moves down by 1 unit, how much cable must move through the pulley above the car? (You might want to play around with a piece of string to better visualize what happens.)
 
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