Max Speed Glider w/Double Pulley System & Tub of Cement

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a glider connected to a bathtub full of cement through a double pulley system, with the goal of determining the maximum speed of the glider after the tub falls a certain distance. The setup includes considerations of mass ratios and pulley mechanics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to understand the mechanics of the double pulley system and its relation to the glider's speed. They express uncertainty about the equations that govern the system and the effects of the different pulley radii on the glider's motion.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided hints regarding the relationship between angular and linear quantities. The original poster has formulated equations based on work-energy principles for both configurations of the pulley system. There is acknowledgment of the assumptions made regarding the mass of the pulley.

Contextual Notes

The problem assumes a massless pulley and does not account for the kinetic energy of the pulley itself. There is also a focus on the relationship between the masses of the glider and the tub of cement.

nineeyes
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A glider is attached to a bathtub full of cement via a double pulley system, (the bath tub is hanging over a cliff). Assume the glider rests on a freely rolling cart. I wasn't sure of exactly how a double pulley works. The picture shows the one where the Glider is attached through the outer radius, and the other is where the Glider is attached through the inner radius. The outer radius is twice as big as the inner one. I figure that the goal of this problem is to get the maximum speed of the glider after the tub falls 60 ft. (The tub weighs twice as much as the glider). I'm just not sure what equations relate to a double pulley system. I know one system will pull pull the glider 2 times as much and the other 1/2 as much, but I can't think of which is which. Any help on this would be great, thanks.
 

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Here's a hint: The inner and outer radii have the same angular speed and angular acceleration. The linear speed and acceleration relate to the angular quantities like so: v = \omega r and a = \alpha r.
 
Thanks, I used work energy and got this for the equation with the outer pulley connected to the glider.

m_2*g*h=\frac{1}{2}*m_1*(v_1)^2 + \frac{1}{2}*m_2*(\frac{1}{2}*v_1)^2

where m_1 is the mass of the glider and m_2 is the mass of the tub of cement hanging over the side. v_1 is the velocity of the glider.

and I got this for the inner pulley connected to the glider.

m_2*g*h=\frac{1}{2}*m_1*(v_1)^2 + \frac{1}{2}*m_2*(2*v_1)^2

Does that look right?
Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Exactly correct. (Assuming we can ignore the KE of the pulley itself--assume it's massless.)
 
Yes, the pulley is massless in this problem. Thanks for the help!
 

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