2008 4.

(a) The diagram shows a light inextensible string having one end fixed, passing under a smooth movable pulley A of mass m kg and then over a fixed smooth light pulley B. The other end of the string is attached to a particle of mass m1 kg. The system is released from rest. Show that the upward acceleration of A is SOLUTION FNet = ma Pulley A: 2T W = m( 1 2 a) 4T 2mg = ma...(1) m1 particle: W1 T = m1a m1 g T = m1a...(2) 4T 2mg = ma...(1) m1 g T = m1a.....(2)(4) 4T 2mg = ma 4m1 g 4T = 4m1a 4m1 g 2mg = ma + 4m1a 2 g (2m1 m) = (m + 4m1 )a a = 2 g (2m1 m) (m + 4m1 )
1 2

m1 kg

(2m1 m) g . 4m1 + m

T
1a 2

T A

m kg

m1 kg

W = mg

W1 = m1g

Acceleration of Pulley A:

a=

(2m1 m) g 4m1 + m

Kieran Mills & Tony Kelly (www.studentxpress.ie)

 (b) Particles of mass 2m and m are connected by a light inextensible m string which passes over a smooth 4m pulley at the vertex of a wedge-shaped block, one particle resting on each of the smooth faces. 30o 30o The mass of the wedge is 4m Smooth and the inclination of each face to the horizontal is 30. The wedge rests on a smooth horizontal surface and the system is released from rest.
2 Sm m oo th

(i) Show, on separate diagrams, the forces acting on the wedge and on the particles. (ii) Find the acceleration of the wedge. SOLUTION (i)
T a R T T T

Sm

th oo

m
N
3

2m

30

3m

mg

30o

1 2

mg

mg

4m 2mg 30
o

mg 30o

2m particle:
a

Force Diagram

Acceleration Diagram

T
3 2A

2m

60

30

3m

mg

1 2A

2mg

FNet = ma

y direction: R 3mg = 2m( 1 2 A) R 3mg = mA...(1) 3 x direction: mg T = 2m a A ...(2) 2

Kieran Mills & Tony Kelly (www.studentxpress.ie)

m particle:

Force Diagram a N
3

Acceleration Diagram

1 2A 30
o

mg

30o

mg

3 2A

mg

FNet = ma

3 mg = m( 1 2 A)...( 3) 2 3 x direction: T 1 a A 2 mg = m ...(4) 2 y direction: N

T T

4m wedge:

T
1 2R 1 2N

60

60

3 2R

4m

S N
3 2N

30

30o 4mg

FNet = ma

1 x direction: 1 2 R 2 N = 4mA

R N = 8mA...(5) (ii) Substitute Equations (1) and (3) into (5): R 3mg = mA...(1) R = 3mg mA 3 mg = m( 1 2 A)...( 3) 2 1 3 N = mA + mg 2 2 N R N = 8mA...(5) 1 3 3mg mA mA mg = 8mA 2 2 3 19mA mg = 2 2 3g A= m s 2 19

Kieran Mills & Tony Kelly (www.studentxpress.ie)