Both sides of wire start out with 5 washers with the total mass of 5m. When N washers are transferred from the left side to the right side, the right side descends 70.56 cm in 0.60 s. Find N.
Atwood's Machine Problem - Please help ASAP
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1 Answer
It is not clear whether the total weight of all washers is 5m or 10m. I assume the latter so each washer weighs m.
When N washers are transfered from one side to the other, the difference in weight between the two sides becomes 2N * mg. This force creates the acceleration that all ten washers (mass = 10m) will experience.
To calculate the acceleration based on time and distance use d = 1/2(a)(t)^2. a = 2d/t^2.
To calculate the acceleration based on the weight difference. a = 2*N*mg/10m.
Set these two expressions for a to be equal. 2(.706)/(0.6^2) = 2*N*9.8/10
N = (.706/.36)* 10/9.8 = 2 Washers transfered.







Comments
Ben, May I direct you to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atwood_machine for a discussion of weights on a pully? Good Luck, BruceS
- BRUCE S. 2/12/2013