What is the Acceleration and Tension in an Inclined Pulley System?

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lames
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Homework Statement



please take a look at the picture

m1= 4kg
m2= 5kg
angle is 30 degrees
(surfaces are frictionless)

find the acceleration and the tension
what are the formulas used for solving this?
 
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Start by drawing a free-body diagram for each mass.
The formula is ##\sum \vec{F} = m\vec{a}##
 
Simon Bridge said:
Start by drawing a free-body diagram for each mass.
The formula is ##\sum \vec{F} = m\vec{a}##

a little more help?
 
Simon Bridge said:
Have you ever drawn a free-body diagram before?

yes but how will that help me?
 
lames said:
yes but how will that help me?
Once you have drawn each diagram (one per mass), you should resolve forces in some pair of directions (common ones are horizontal, vertical, parallel to slope, normal to slope - any two of those will do, but it's usual to pick an orthogonal pair). That should allow you to write down two equations of the form net force = mass * net acceleration for each.
Draw the diagrams, post either the diagrams or descriptions of ithem, say which ways you are resolving, and post the equations you get.