Calculating Work Done on Cart During Fall?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the work done on a cart during the fall of a block attached to it via a string over a frictionless pulley. The initial attempt incorrectly used the mass of the block instead of the appropriate formula for the system. The correct approach involves using the combined mass of both the cart and the block to determine the work done, leading to the realization that the formula involves gravitational acceleration and the effective mass of the system. After some confusion, the correct formula was identified as g x ((m1xm2)/(m1+m2)). This highlights the importance of using the right parameters in physics calculations for accurate results.
TG3
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Homework Statement


A cart of mass 5 kg is attached to a block of mass 3 kg by a string that passes over a frictionless pulley. The system is initially at rest and we will assume that friction can be ignored. The block falls a distance of 1 m.
What is the work done on the cart by the string during this fall?

Homework Equations


W= FD
W= Change in Kinetic Energy
K = mgh

The Attempt at a Solution



M=3
G=9.81
H=1
So 3 x 9.81 x 1= 29.43 J
But this answer is not correct. What am I doing wrong?
 
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TG3 said:
A cart of mass 5 kg is attached to a block of mass 3 kg by a string …
What is the work done on the cart by the string during this fall?

M=3
G=9.81
H=1
So 3 x 9.81 x 1= 29.43 J

HI TG3! :smile:

You're saying that the work done on the cart is the change in KE of the cart, which is correct.

But you've used the mass of the block. :redface:
 
Erm... as opposed to what? I've tried the mass of the block, the mass of the cart, and the mass of both of them both put together x 9.81, and nothing works...

--Edit---
Never mind, I figured it out. g x ((m1xm2)/(m1+m2)).
 
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