Simplest Atwood machine question.

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The problem involves an Atwood machine scenario where a person is attempting to lift themselves and a bucket with a constant speed. The weight of the person and the bucket is given as 70 kg, and the question revolves around the force required to achieve this lifting without acceleration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster questions whether the force needed to lift the system should equal the weight of the person or if it should be adjusted for the acceleration due to gravity. Other participants discuss the relationship between the force exerted on the rope and the tension in the system, with some suggesting that only half the weight may be necessary to lift the person.

Discussion Status

Participants are exploring different interpretations of the forces involved in the Atwood machine setup. Some have provided insights into the relationship between the force exerted and the tension in the rope, while others have acknowledged the simplicity of the problem after receiving feedback. There is no explicit consensus, but the discussion is productive with various perspectives being shared.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the presence of friction in real-life scenarios, which may affect the force required to lift the system. The original poster expresses confusion about the problem, indicating a need for clarification on the concepts involved.

life is maths
Messages
37
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Hi, the question is like in the picture. How hard should she pull the string to raise with constant speed? She weighs 70 kg together with the bucket.


The Attempt at a Solution


The system must have 0 acceleration, but does this mean she should pull the string with an acceleration equal to g, to balance with it? Or is it enough that she pulls equal to her weight? But in this case, she would not raise.
This is a simple question, I guess, but I'm confused. Thanks for any help :)
 

Attachments

  • question.jpg
    question.jpg
    3.4 KB · Views: 408
Physics news on Phys.org
I had this same question a few days ago. You just have to realize that the force she puts on the rope will lift her through the pulley, but also lift her directly. This lead me to believe that she would only need exert half her weight in force. I tried F=(1/2)mg, and it was correct.
 
The person exerts some force F, and this force evolves tension T in the rope: T=F. The tension is the same all along the rope, so the resultant force from the rope on the system (bucket+person) is equal to 2T. If 2T = mg, (weight of the person), that is F=mg/2, the bucket is balanced, but just a bit larger force is enough to move the person upward.

In real life, there is friction, so the person needs to exert some more force to overcome friction.

ehild
 
Thanks a lot, ndifabio and ehild, I cannot believe that it was that simple. Your help is greatly appreciated :)
 
Any time, I'm always happy to help a fellow Physics student :)
 

Similar threads

Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
6K
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
5K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K