Imagine a right-angle triangle with angle θ = 40o on the left. The serves as an increasing slope. On the slope is

Question

an object of mass m1= 340 g on an inclined surface. The angle of the inclined surface is θ = 40o with the horizontal. The object m1 is connected to a second object of mass m2 = 338 g on the adjacent horizontal surface.

Now imagine a hand pulling object of mass m1 so that it climbs the slope.
This is the external force of magnitude ІFextІ = 5.5 N, exerted on the object of mass m1. We observe both objects to accelerate. Assuming that the surfaces and the pulley are frictionless, and the pulley and the connecting string are massless, what is the tension in the string connecting the two objects?

Answer 1

http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1254845390

Answer 2

I don't understand that working I am sorry. I don't get the bit about the external force because as far as I know gravity shouldn't be part of the external force because someone is pulling on m1 so it slides up the slope =/

i am very confused

Answer 3

i tried solving it that way but i got stuck because i don't know what to do with the external force value :S