Magnitude and direction of tension in a suspended and frictionless pulley

[Velh]

[PLAIN]http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/12942474909/1/tumblr_lutva4tbpB1qml28n

 

[TaxOnFear]

The masses are suspended, therefore you can assume the system is in equilibrium, and all of the component forces = 0. Form an equation (or 2) for this.

 

[Velh]

How?

 

[TaxOnFear]

Ʃ_fy = 0
Ʃ_fx = 0

There are your 2 statements, resolve the forces you have into component forces, apply the statements above, and you will get the correct answer.

 

[asteriatic]

The magnitude and direction of tension in a suspended and frictionless pulley can be determined by using Newton's laws of motion. According to the first law, an object at rest or in motion will remain in that state unless acted upon by an external force. In this case, the external forces acting on the pulley are the weight of the objects attached to it and the tension in the rope.

Since the pulley is frictionless, the tension in the rope will be the same on both sides of the pulley. This is due to the principle of conservation of energy, which states that energy is neither created nor destroyed, but rather transferred from one form to another. In this case, the energy in the system is transferred from the potential energy of the objects to the tension in the rope.

The direction of the tension in the rope will depend on the direction of the forces acting on the objects attached to the pulley. If the objects are being pulled downwards, the tension in the rope will be upwards, and vice versa. This is in accordance with Newton's third law, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

In summary, the magnitude of tension in a suspended and frictionless pulley will be equal to the weight of the objects attached to it, and the direction of the tension will be opposite to the direction of the forces acting on the objects. This understanding of the principles of mechanics allows us to accurately calculate and predict the behavior of systems involving pulleys.