Question

an Atwood machine with two masses 6kg and 10kg. What is the
tension in the chord connecting the masses. Assume the pulley is
frictionless and the rope massless. Take
g=9.8m/s2

Answer 1

Use F = ma on each mass

If you draw it out it helps a great deal as you can fill in all the forces. Gravity acts on both and tension acts on both in the opposite direction to gravity in both cases.

The 10kg particle is going to win out so it will fall downwards (the 6kg one will move upwards)

F = ma on the 10kg particle:
Force = mass*acceleration

mg - T = ma
Gravity - Tension = the resultant force
(gravity wins out on the 10kg particle)

See if you can carry on from there. You can work out the acceleration also (although this question doesn't ask for it though but you can do it)