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Bodies connected by cord and pulley - application of Newton's law of motion problems and
solutions

1. Two boxes are connected by a cord running over a pulley. Ignore the mass of the cord and pulley and
any friction in the pulley. Mass of box 1 = 2 kg, mass of box 2 = 3 kg, acceleration due to gravity = 10
m/s2. Find (a) Acceleration of the system (b) Tension in cord!

Solution
Known :
Mass of box 1 (m1) = 2 kg
Mass of box 2 (m2) = 3 kg
Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 10 m/s2
weight of box 1 (w1) = m1 g = (2)(10) = 20 Newton
weight of box 2 (w2) = m2 g = (3)(10) = 30 Newton
Solution :
(a) magnitude and direction of acceleration
w2 > w1 so box 2 accelerates downward and box 1 accelerates upward.
Forces that has the same direction with acceleration (w 2 and T1), its sign positive. Forces that has
opposite direction with acceleration (T2 dan w1), its sign negative.
∑F = m a
w2 – T2 + T1 - w1 = (m1 + m2) a -------> T1 = T2 = T
w2 – T + T - w1 = (m1 + m2) a
w2 – w1 = (m1 + m2) a
30 – 20 = (2 + 3) a
10 = 5 a
a = 10 / 5
a = 2 m/s2
Magnitude of acceleration is 2 m/s2.

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