Why do 2 crates pulled together have the same acceleration?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the physics problem involving two crates being pulled on a frictionless surface, where crate 1 (6 kg) is pulled with a force F, resulting in an acceleration of 2.5 m/s². It is established that both crates, due to the rope connecting them, experience the same acceleration of 2.5 m/s². This can be demonstrated through Newton's Second Law, which states that the net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. Since crate 2 is connected to crate 1, it must share the same acceleration to maintain the tension in the rope.

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Josh114
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Hi. I was given the classic problem of a woman pulling crate 1 on a frictionless surface with a force F, which is attached to crate2 behind it with a rope. crate 1=6kg, crate 2= 4kg, and it says crate 1 has an acceleration of 2.5m/s^2...
One question asks for the acceleration of crate 2, and the answer is 2.5m/s^2, but I'm confused as to why they have the same acceleration. Could it be proved with force diagrams or with math?
Thanks

Attempt:
None. It's a conceptual problem, so there's no work to show
 
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If the rope is of fixed length and pulled tight what is velocity of crate 2 compared to crate 1 ? Less than , greater than or equal to ?
 
What happens if the acceleration is not the same for both crates?
 

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