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WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

The Acceleration of a Two-Block System

​
mass of block A in kg
M
A
50
mass of block B in kg
M
B
49
release system
Force on side block:
F = -
M
A
a = T -
M
A
g
Force on top block:
F =
M
B
a = T
Eliminate T and solve for a:
a =
M
A
g
M
A
+
M
B
Substitute the values and calculate:
a =
50 × 9.8
50 + 49
= 4.95 m/
2
s
This Demonstration depicts a two-block problem; it assumes the value of the acceleration due to gravity,
g
, to be 9.8
m/
2
s
. The masses of the blocks are indicated by their shade of blue.
One block, of mass
M
B
, rests on a smooth horizontal surface and is attached to a cord of negligible mass with tension
T
. The normal force
F
N,A
acts on this block.
The other block, of mass
M
A
, hangs vertically off the edge of the surface and is attached to the other end of the cord.
What is the acceleration,
a
, of the blocks?
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