Velocity of masses on an atwood machine?

[Vitani11]

Homework Statement

2 masses m1 and m2 are attached by a string to a massless pulley. mass 1 is on the surface while mass 2 is hanging off. mass 1 experiences a friction force (mu)k. What is the acceleration of the system? What is the velocity of mass 1 in terms of mass 2?

Homework Equations

KE_o+PE_o = KE_f+PE_f

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[Vitani11]

Don't these masses move at the same velocity?

 

[gneill]

This doesn't sound like an Atwood machine, where both masses should be hanging by the string with no surface involved.

2 masses m1 and m2 are attached by a string to a massless pulley. mass 1 is on the surface while mass 2 is hanging off. mass 1 experiences a friction force (mu)k.

(mu)k is a force? Isn't μ_k, the coefficient of kinetic friction?

What is the acceleration of the system? What is the velocity of mass 1 in terms of mass 2?

Do you mean what is the velocity of mass 1 in terms of the velocity of mass 2?

Don't these masses move at the same velocity?

Well, if the string remains taught then they'll certainly have the same speed. Technically their velocities would be different since they are moving in different directions (velocity is a vector while speed is a scalar).

 

[Vitani11]

I mean a system where one mass is on a horizontal surface with friction and the other is hanging off the edge connected by a string over a pulley. For some reason I was thinking atwoods machine. But yes that is what I mean

 

[gneill]

I mean a system where one mass is on a horizontal surface with friction and the other is hanging off the edge connected by a string over a pulley. For some reason I was thinking atwoods machine. But yes that is what I mean

Okay, that's clear now. So you now know that both masses will move with the same speed. Was that your question?

 

[Vitani11]

Yes, thanks