Question

An industrial robot arm pulls a 4.0 kg cart along a horizontal frictionless tract using a 0.5 kg rope applying a horizontal force of 90 N to the rope. Find the acceleration of the system and the at the point where the rope is fastened to the cart.

Answer 1

(a) $F=ma\to a=F/m=90/(4+0.5)=20\ (m/s^2)$

(b) $T=m_1a=4\cdot20=80\ (N)$