A 15 kg block is on a ramp which is inclined at 20 degrees above the horizontal. It's connected by a string to a 19kg mass which hangs over the top edge of the ramp. With no frictional forces taken into account, what is the magnitude of the acceleration of the 19kg block?

Answer 1

weight component down ramp = 15 g sin 20 Newtons
pull up ramp = 19 g Newtons
net F = (19 - 15 sin 20) g
mass accelerated = 15+19 = 34 kg
so
a = (19 - 15 sin 20) (9.81) /34

Answer 2

4.0