Question

Two masses, mA = 40.0 kg and mB = 55.0 kg, are connected by a massless cord that passes over a pulley that is free to rotate about a fixed axis. This device is known as an Atwood’s Machine. The pulley is a solid cylinder of radius R = 0.360 m and mass of 7.50 kg. Note: The tensions on the two masses are not equal. There is a figure showing a pulley in the center and the two masses hanging freely on either side vertically. mA is going up, mB is going down.

A) Determine the linear acceleration of the two masses.
B) Determine the linear acceleration of the two masses if the pulley mass were ignored so that I = 0 for the pulley