Find the acceleration of the block.

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem involving a pulley system with a block and a rotating disk. The problem asks for the height at which the block will reach a speed of 2.0m/s and the acceleration of the block. Through the use of energy conservation and Newton's Second Law, the answers can be found. The final step is to use the acceleration value to calculate the distance the block has dropped, which should agree with the answer from the first part of the problem.
  • #1
candyq27
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Hi. I really need some help with this problem. I don't even know where to begin. Please help guide me through it.

A pulley with a radius R=0.50m and a mass of M=4.0kg is mounted on a frictionless axle. The pulley is a uniform solid disk with rotational inertia I=1/2MR^2. A block with mass m=2.0kg hangs from a string wrapped around the pulley. When the system is released from rest the block accelerates down. Use g=10m/s^2.
a) After dropping through a height h, the block's speed is 2.0m/s. Using energy conservation, find h.
b) Apply Newton's Second Law and Newton's Second Law of Rotation. Solve your equations to find the acceleration of the block.
c) Use your value from (b) and one or more constant-acceleration equations to find h, the distance the block has dropped when its speed reaches 2.0m/s. Does it agree with your answer from (a)?
 
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  • #2
limit

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Last edited:
  • #3
Simply plug in x=0.
 
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ooops...
 

FAQ: Find the acceleration of the block.

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (speed) and direction.

How is acceleration calculated?

Acceleration can be calculated using the formula a = (vf - vi) / t, where a is acceleration, vf is final velocity, vi is initial velocity, and t is time.

What is the unit of acceleration?

The unit of acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²).

What factors affect the acceleration of an object?

The acceleration of an object is affected by the net force acting on it and the mass of the object. In simpler terms, the larger the force applied to an object, the greater its acceleration, and the heavier the object, the smaller its acceleration.

How is acceleration related to Newton's Second Law of Motion?

Newtons's Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass. This means that the greater the force applied to an object, the greater its acceleration, and the more massive the object, the smaller its acceleration.

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