Question

two masses 26kg and 24kg are attached to the ends of a string which passes over a frictionless pulley. 26kg is lying over a smooth horizontal table. 24N is mass is moving vertically downward. find the tension in the string and the acceleration in the bodies

Answer 1

According to Newton's second law for two masses,

$m_1g-T=m_1a$

$T=m_2a$

Adding above two equations,

$a=\frac{m_1g}{m_1+m_2}=\frac{(24)(9.80)}{24+26}=4.704 m/s^2$

The tension in the string is

$T=(26 kg)(4.704 m/s^2) =122 N$