Masses Connected By Strings May Be Treated as Rigid Bodies?

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SUMMARY

In the discussion, participants analyze a physics problem involving three blocks connected by massless strings, with a tension force acting on the rightmost block. It is established that the two masses can be treated as a single mass, with the total mass being the sum of the individual masses, due to the tautness of the strings. The problem requires calculating the tension in the strings based on the block masses, the tension in the rightmost string, and the uniform acceleration of the system. Newton's 2nd and 3rd laws are essential for solving the problem effectively.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's 2nd Law of Motion
  • Familiarity with Newton's 3rd Law of Motion
  • Basic knowledge of tension forces in strings
  • Concept of massless strings in physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the application of Newton's 2nd Law in multi-body systems
  • Learn about tension calculations in connected mass systems
  • Explore the implications of massless strings in physics problems
  • Investigate frictionless surfaces and their effects on motion
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, educators teaching mechanics, and anyone interested in understanding dynamics involving connected masses and tension forces.

breez
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Say you have 2 masses connected by a massless string, and another massless string is connected to the rightmost mass. A tension force T acts along this rightmost string, resulting in the string connecting the 2 masses to become taunt.

In these cases, you can treat the 2 masses as one mass whose total mass is the sum of the 2 masses correct?
 
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breez said:
In these cases, you can treat the 2 masses as one mass whose total mass is the sum of the 2 masses correct?
For what purpose? (Describe the problem you're working on.)
 
In the problem, 3 blocks are connected by massless strings, and another string pulls the rightmost block on a frictionless surface. You have to find the tension in the smaller strings in terms of the block masses, tension in the rightmost string, and the uniform acceleration.
 
Since the strings are taut, all three blocks have the same acceleration. You are free to choose your system as you see fit in order to solve the problem. For example, you can treat all three blocks as a single system or you can treat each block separately. (Or both!)

Just apply Newton's 2nd law to whatever system you choose and see what you can figure out. (Newton's 3rd law will help as well.)
 

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