Question

a 600 gram cart is pulled along a table with no friction by a string attached to a 200g mass hanging over a pulley. find the acceleration. Find the acceleration if the cart is inverted so it slides and the coefficient of friction is 0.2

Answer 1

hanging .2 kg mass
T = string tension in Newtons
F = M a
.2(9.81) - T = .2 a
so
T = (1.826 - .2 a)

sliding .6 kg mass
T = .6 a

so
.6 a = 1.826 -.2 a
.8 a = 1.826
solve for a

now part b
again T = 1.826 - .2 a
but now
T - 9.81*.6*0.2 = .6 a
so
T = .6 a + 1.177
.6 a + 1.177 = 1.826 - .2 a
.8 a = .6488
solve for a