Question

Block A rests on a horizontal tabletop. A light horizontal rope is attached to it and passes over a pulley, and block B is suspended from the free end of the rope. The light rope that connects the two blocks does not slip over the surface of the pulley (radius 0.080 m) because the pulley rotates on a frictionless axle. The horizontal surface on which block A (mass 2.10 kg) moves is frictionless. The system is released from rest, and block B (mass 7.00 kg) moves downward 1.80 m in 2.00 s. a)What is the tension force that the rope exerts on block B? b)What is the tension force that the rope exerts on block A? c)What is the moment of inertia of the pulley for rotation about the axle on which it is mounted?

Answer 1

Answer:

(a) 62.3 N

(b) 1.89 N

(c) 0.430 kg m²

Explanation:

(a) Find the acceleration of block B.

Δy = v₀ t + ½ at²

1.80 m = (0 m/s) (2.00 s) + ½ a (2.00 s)²

a = 0.90 m/s²

Draw a free body diagram of block B.  There are two forces:

Weight force mg pulling down,

and tension force Tb pulling up.

Sum of forces in the -y direction:

∑F = ma

mg − Tb = ma

Tb = m (g − a)

Tb = (7.00 kg) (9.8 m/s² − 0.90 m/s²)

Tb = 62.3 N

(b) Draw a free body diagram of block A.  There are three forces:

Weight force mg pulling down,

Normal force N pushing up,

and tension force Ta pulling right.

Sum of forces in the +x direction:

∑F = ma

Ta = ma

Ta = (2.10 kg) (0.90 m/s²)

Ta = 1.89 N

(c) Draw a free body diagram of the pulley.  There are two forces:

Tension force Tb pulling down,

and tension force Ta pulling left.

Sum of torques in the clockwise direction:

∑τ = Iα

Tb r − Ta r = Iα

(Tb − Ta) r = I (a/r)

I = (Tb − Ta) r² / a

I = (62.3 N − 1.89 N) (0.080 m)² / (0.90 m/s²)

I = 0.430 kg m²