Calculating Mass and Tension of Stone Suspended from Pulley

In summary, the stone has a mass of 3.79 kg and the tension in the wire is 22.2384 N. The stone accelerates with an acceleration of 3.936 m/s^2 and the pulley does not move. The free fall acceleration of 9.80 m/s^2 is used in the calculation, but it is not the acceleration of the stone.
  • #1
oldspice1212
149
2
A stone is suspended from the free end of a wire that is wrapped around the outer rim of a pulley, as shown in the figure. The pulley is a uniform disk with mass 11.3kg and radius 49.0cm and turns on frictionless bearings. You measure that the stone travels a distance 12.3m during a time interval of 2.50s starting from rest.

1. Find the mass of the stone.

2. Find the tension in the wire.Free fall acceleration = 9.80 m/s^2

Figure: http://tinyurl.com/cpht4rr

I'm not to sure what formula to use for this?
 
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  • #2
EDIT: Working on it atm, I'll see what I get first.
 
  • #3
Is the stone or the pulley in free fall?

Hint: draw the free body diagram first.

ehild
 
  • #4
It's for both of them atm I'm using
S=Ut+1/2at^2
then I will apply Newtons second law mg - T = ma
hopefully this will get me the mass.
 
  • #5
Ok so I got S = 0 +1/2 (9.8m/s^2)(2.5s)^2 which gave me 30.625
30.625/ 12.3 = 2.489...m/s^2

I manipulated Newtons second law to get T = 1/2M*a
T = 1/2(11.3kg)(2.48...m/s^2)
T = 14.067N

[itex]\Sigma[/itex]F=mg-T=ma
mg-ma = T = m(g-a)
m= T/(g-a)
14N/(9.8m/s^2-2.4...m/s^2) = 1.92kg

How does this look?Mhm got it wrong, not sure where the mistake is though.
 
  • #6
The stone accelerates with a and s= 1/2 at2, why do you calculate with g?

What about the pulley? Does it move?

ehild?
 
Last edited:
  • #7
Yes it says "take free fall acceleration to be 9.80 m/s^2"
 
  • #8
It is the free-fall acceleration, but is not the acceleration of the stone. Calculate the acceleration again.

ehild
 
  • #9
Dope! Haha thanks for that, I got 3.936 m/s^2 meaning the tension is 22.2384 N.
Therefore the mass comes out to be...3.79 kg.

Thanks a lot! :P
 
  • #10
That is better:smile:

ehild
 

FAQ: Calculating Mass and Tension of Stone Suspended from Pulley

What is the formula for calculating the mass of a stone suspended from a pulley?

The formula for calculating the mass of a stone suspended from a pulley is: m = T/g, where m is the mass in kilograms, T is the tension in Newtons, and g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2).

How do I calculate the tension in a rope when a stone is suspended from a pulley?

To calculate the tension in a rope when a stone is suspended from a pulley, use the formula T = m*g, where T is the tension in Newtons, m is the mass in kilograms, and g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2).

Can the mass and tension of a stone suspended from a pulley change?

Yes, the mass and tension of a stone suspended from a pulley can change. If the mass of the stone changes, then both the mass and tension will change accordingly. Additionally, if the pulley is moving or the rope is stretched, the tension may also change.

What units should I use for calculating the mass and tension of a stone suspended from a pulley?

The mass should be measured in kilograms and the tension should be measured in Newtons when calculating the mass and tension of a stone suspended from a pulley. It's important to use consistent units to ensure accurate calculations.

Can I use this formula for calculating the mass and tension of any object suspended from a pulley?

Yes, this formula can be used for calculating the mass and tension of any object suspended from a pulley, as long as the object is not accelerating and the rope is not stretching or slipping. If there are other external forces acting on the object, the formula may need to be modified accordingly.

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