Question

A locomotive is pulling 8 freight cars, each of which is loaded with the same amount of weight. The mass of each freight car (with its load) is 37,000 kg. If the train is accelerating at 0.48 m/s2 on a level track, what is the tension in the coupling between the second and third cars? (The car nearest the locomotive is counted as the first car, and friction is negligible.)

Answer 1

Answer:106560 N

Explanation:

Given

Let Tension between  2 and 3 car be $T_{23}$ and between 3 &4 is $T_{34}$

$T_{23}-T_{34}=ma$

mass of freight car =37,000 kg

acceleration of car$=0.48 m/s^2$

$T_{34}$ is accelerating all freights behind 3

therefore

$T_{34}=5\times ma$

$T_{34}=5\times 37000\times 0.48=88,800 N$

Thus

$T_{23}=T_{34}+ma$

$T_{23}=88,800+37000\times 0.48=88,800+17,760=106560 N$