Why body A has greater acceleration?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
13 replies · 1K views
Iamconfused123
Messages
66
Reaction score
9
Homework Statement
question is which body A has greater acceleration?
Relevant Equations
F=ma
Apparently body A has greater acceleration and I don't get why. Can someone please explain.

It's stated to take g=10/s^2.
Both bodies have same mass.
Nothing about rope elasticity is added, and nothing about the pulley. So I assumed they are both massless, and no friction between them.
Also, the table surface is frictionless.
Thank you
pf.png
 
Physics news on Phys.org
yeah but, 1kg×10m/s^2=10N so both forces are the same, masses the same, thus accelerations are the same
 
Orodruin said:
No, they are not. If the tension in the string were 10 N then the net force on the 1 kg mass would be zero and it would not accelerate.
But the bodies(A and B) are not connected, if that is what you are saying.
 
PeroK said:
The 1kg mass is connected to B.
Okay, but why does that matter? 1kg is falling with 10N pulling B with 10 N, same force as the hand is pulling A
 
Iamconfused123 said:
Okay, but why does that matter?
It;s fundamental.
Iamconfused123 said:
1kg is falling with 10N
What does that mean?
Iamconfused123 said:
pulling B with 10 N, same force as the hand is pulling A
Is it? What about Newton's third law? If the 1 kg mass pulls B with a force of 10N, then B pulls the 1kg mass with an opposite force of 10N, and the 1kg won't move, as it has a zero net force acting on it.
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Iamconfused123
May I suggest drawing free body diagrams of each mass ( A,B, and 1kg) for us to examine together?
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Iamconfused123
Thanks everyone. :bow:
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: PeroK
erobz said:
May I suggest drawing free body diagrams of each mass ( A,B, and 1kg) for us to examine together?
Like, I never draw those. And the best thing is that I have solved whole bunch of problems with like these, but they were like, calculate acceleration. I did take a brake from physics for 2 weeks or so, but still, like I knew how to do these problems. Is it normal for people to forget that fast?
 
Iamconfused123 said:
ohh. I figured. How stupid am I :headbang::headbang::headbang::headbang::headbang:
It's not that big a deal. It's tricky like that on purpose. Thats why its important to draw a FBD, because it becomes apparent when to "see" the forces.
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Iamconfused123