Simple Pulley System with Two Masses

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a simple pulley system with two masses, where the user calculates the final velocity based on gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy equations. The user arrives at a velocity of approximately 2.37 m/s, but the answer sheet indicates a much lower value of 0.014 m/s. Despite thorough analysis, the user struggles to identify the error leading to this significant discrepancy. Another participant confirms the user's calculations, suggesting that the answer sheet may contain mistakes. The conversation highlights the challenges of understanding rotational motion in physics problems.
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Homework Statement



http://imgur.com/Y1Dua

r = 0.2m
I = 1.4kg m^2
m1 = 2kg
m2 = 5kg
h = 4m

Homework Equations



Δ(Gravitational potential energy) = m1*g*h - m2*g*h
Δ(Kinetic energy) = (1/2)*m1*v^2 + (1/2)*m2*v^2 + (1/2)*I*(v^2/r^2)

The Attempt at a Solution



System is isolated; no change in the internal energy of the system so all the lost gravitational potential energy must go into increasing the kinetic energy of the system.

Therefore, ΔKE = -ΔGPE → (1/2)*v^2(m1 + m2 + I*r^(-2)) = -ΔGPE
→ v = √((-2ΔGPE)/(m1 + m2 + I*r^(-2))) = 2.36643191m/s is what the final answer works out to be.

Problem is, the answer sheet says that the answer should be 0.014. I'm kind of rusty with rotational motion, but even after analyzing this problem to death I still have no clue why my answer is nearly 170 times too big... I must be making a stupid mistake somewhere.

As always, any help is much appreciated.

P.S. sorry for the awful formatting, but these university computers are still running IE7 for some reason and the only part of the submission form that's actually responsive is the text box.
 
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I get the same answer as you. :bugeye:
 
Your solution is correct. The answer sheets do have mistakes.

ehild
 
Huh. Well then. Thanks for the confirmation.
 
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