Two blocks and a pulley, friction

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving two masses connected by a string over a frictionless pulley, with one mass on a horizontal surface experiencing kinetic friction. The user struggles to incorporate the effect of friction, given the coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.2, while attempting to find the acceleration of the system. They initially used the equation a = (mBg)/(mA + mB) without considering friction. Responses suggest reevaluating the tension in the string and recognizing that both masses influence the system's dynamics. The conversation highlights the importance of accounting for friction in calculating the acceleration accurately.
nbaumann
Messages
2
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



Two masses are connected by a string which passes over a frictionless, massless pulley. One mass hangs vertically and one slides on a horizontal surface. The horizontal surface has a coefficient of kinetic friction 0.2. The vertically hanging mass is 4.0 kg and the mass on the horizontal surface is 6.0 kg. Find the acceleration of the mass.

Homework Equations



T=mBg-mBa

The Attempt at a Solution



I've basically done this problem without factoring friction, and this my problem, I don't know how to factor friction.

a = (mBg)/(mA + mB) is what I used.


Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
nbaumann said:

Homework Statement



Two masses are connected by a string which passes over a frictionless, massless pulley. One mass hangs vertically and one slides on a horizontal surface. The horizontal surface has a coefficient of kinetic friction 0.2. The vertically hanging mass is 4.0 kg and the mass on the horizontal surface is 6.0 kg. Find the acceleration of the mass.

Homework Equations



T=mBg-mBa

The Attempt at a Solution



I've basically done this problem without factoring friction, and this my problem, I don't know how to factor friction.

a = (mBg)/(mA + mB) is what I used.


Thanks!
Welcome to Physics Forums,

You should look again at the tension in the string, is that the only condition that the tension needs to satisfy? What about the other block?
 
Thanks for your reply.

This was really as far as I got. Wouldn't the tension just apply once? As there is only one string?
 

Thread 'Errors and significant figures'

I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
View full post »
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'

Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'

In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
View full post »
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'

Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'

Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
View full post »

Similar threads

Newton's Second Law (Pulley Sustem)
Replies
3
Views
2K
Newton's law problem: Pushing 2 stacked blocks on a horizontal table
Replies
13
Views
3K
Friction problem of a block sandwiched between 2 surfaces
Replies
6
Views
1K
Ideal Vs Real Mass Pulley system
Replies
10
Views
5K
Two blocks, a fixed pulley and friction
Replies
4
Views
3K
Acceleration on an inclined plane
Replies
3
Views
2K
Finding the acceleration of two masses on a pulley system
2
Replies
66
Views
7K
How Does Friction Affect the Acceleration and Tension in a Two-Block System?
Replies
9
Views
2K
How to Determine the Velocity of Block A with Pulley Masses Included?
Replies
3
Views
2K
Newton’s Law of Motions: tension forces in a pulley
Replies
4
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top