Solving the Puzzle of the Suspended Brick

[trueblue]

Hi: I have two questions to answer and I,m not sure of the answers. I have looked in textbooks but that didn't help. The first one is:
There is a brick hanging from the ceiling by a weak rope. there is another rope atached to the brick which a student is holding. If the second rope is pulled slowlly the first one breaks, but if the second rope is pulled abruptlly then it is the one that breaks.

 

[berkeman]

Very true.

 

[Andrew Mason]

Hi: I have two questions to answer and I,m not sure of the answers. I have looked in textbooks but that didn't help. The first one is:
There is a brick hanging from the ceiling by a weak rope. there is another rope atached to the brick which a student is holding. If the second rope is pulled slowlly the first one breaks, but if the second rope is pulled abruptlly then it is the one that breaks.

What are the forces on the brick? What is the difference between the two rope forces on the brick? (do a free body diagram). (PS, if you try this as an experiment, use a helmet ).

AM