Where Did I Go Wrong With the Rope and Ice Force Calculation?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a rope and a block of ice being pulled across a frictionless surface. The original poster attempts to calculate the forces acting on both the ice and the rope, given their masses and the acceleration of the system.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between the forces acting on the rope and the block, questioning the original poster's calculations and assumptions regarding the forces involved.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered guidance on how to approach the problem, suggesting that the force on the rope must account for both the rope and the block's acceleration. Multiple interpretations of the forces at play are being explored, indicating a productive discussion without explicit consensus.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of the need to consider the forces acting on both the rope and the block, as well as the implications of the frictionless surface in the calculations.

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Homework Statement


A 1.50 m-long, 480 g rope pulls a 8.00 kg block of ice across a horizontal, frictionless surface. The block accelerates at 2.40 m/s^2. How much force pulls forward on (a) the ice, (b) the rope?


Homework Equations


F=m*a


The Attempt at a Solution


for A i got the right answer by
Acceleration of the block = 2.4 m/s^2
mass of the block = 8kg
Force = 8*2.4 = 19.2 N

but for b i did:
Acceleration of the rope = Acceleration of the block = 2.4 m/s^2
mass of the rope = 0.480kg
Force = 0.480*2.4 = 1.152 N
and it was wrong. anyone know where i messed up?
 
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The pull on the rope must accelerate not only the rope but the ice as well.
Add the 1.152 onto the 19.2

Another way to look at it is that the rope has unknown F pulling it forward, and 19.2 N pulling backward. Using sum of forces = ma, this is
ma = F - 19.2
F = ma + 19.2
 
Force on the rope = Applied force - reaction force by the block.
 
oh! i don't know why i didn't catch that. thank you so much!
 

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