How Do Forces and Angles Affect Angular Acceleration in a Pulley System?

In summary, the sum of forces along the y-axis takes into account the component of gravity that is acting down the incline (mg*sin(theta)) and the component of gravity that is acting perpendicular to the incline (mg*cos(theta)). The former acts against the tension in the rope and the latter determines the maximum potential for friction force at the contact point on the incline.
  • #1
parttime
13
0
there are two blocks on a trapizoid one on the top and one on the side with the slope a wire that goes throu a pully connects the two. determin the the acceleration of the two blocks.
block one =m1 block two = m2 pully =m with radius r Ufriction =.36
what i have so far is
sum of forces(along x axis) on block one is t (for tension) - ufm1g=m1a(acceleration)
sum of forces (along yaxis) on block two is tsin(thata) +ufm2gsin-mg=m2a

is this correct
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
This is not angular acceleration by the way. You might want to check that sum of the y forces again, because you must remember that (I'm assuming block 2 is on an incline) that there is a component of gravity which is pulling the block downwards and is certainly not equal to m*g. Break the force exerted due to gravity up into components vertical and horizontal to the incline.
 
  • #3
for the sum of forces along y sin 30 mg for the force of gravity i just can't get the tension not sure if it is just t or tcos30
 
  • #4
so would it be t -sin30*m*g + ufcos30*m*g?
also is the tension a and b both positve because the are going in the same direction or would tension b be negitive can't make sense of it
 

Attachments

  • moment_of_inertia.GIF
    moment_of_inertia.GIF
    1.2 KB · Views: 493
Last edited:
  • #5
parttime said:
for the sum of forces along y sin 30 mg for the force of gravity i just can't get the tension not sure if it is just t or tcos30

Remember what an ideal pulley does... it merely changes the direction of a force, therefore you would not break it up into components based on its angle relative to the rope's orientation on the other side of the pulley. You're getting closer to the answer though; your picture has not been authenticated yet so I can't give you great answers.
 
  • #6
thanks for the help finally got it to give me the correct answer since i had it from the book just couldn't get it to come out . this is what i have
sum forces x = t1 - uf*m1*g =m1 *a
sum forces y =t2 +uf*m2*g*cos()-m2*g*sin() =m2*-a
that i don't understand is why for the y the weight is mgsin and the friction is mgcos (that is assuming i am doning it right when i plug in values i get the right answer for the sum)
 
  • #7
parttime said:
that i don't understand is why for the y the weight is mgsin and the friction is mgcos (that is assuming i am doning it right when i plug in values i get the right answer for the sum)

The easiest way to prove it to yourself is to take it to extremes. It's not that the *weight* is mg*sin(theta) it's that the *component of gravity pulling the block downward* is mg*sin(theta). This is the force that acts opposed to the tension in the rope and the friction force at the surface. Consider the situation where theta = 0. Does it make sense that there would be no part of gravity that is able to pull a block down a flat, horizontal surface?

Now, think about what determines friction force at a contact point on a surface. It's the coefficient of friction multiplied by the normal force at that point, right? What is the component of gravity that is perpendicular to the incline? Take the angle to extremes again. What if theta was 90 degrees (and therefore mg*cos(theta) = 0, that is, the surface of the plane is vertical. Does it make sense then that gravity would produce no potential for a friction force because that force runs parallel to the surface at that inclination?
 

FAQ: How Do Forces and Angles Affect Angular Acceleration in a Pulley System?

What is angular acceleration and how is it different from linear acceleration?

Angular acceleration is the rate at which an object's angular velocity changes over time. It is different from linear acceleration because it measures change in rotational motion, while linear acceleration measures change in linear motion.

How is angular acceleration calculated?

Angular acceleration is calculated by dividing the change in angular velocity by the change in time. The formula is: α = (ω2 - ω1) / (t2 - t1), where α is angular acceleration, ω is angular velocity, and t is time.

What is the unit of measurement for angular acceleration?

The unit of measurement for angular acceleration is radians per second squared (rad/s2). This is because angular acceleration is measured as the change in angular velocity (radians per second) per unit of time (seconds).

How does angular acceleration affect an object's motion?

Angular acceleration affects an object's motion by changing its angular velocity, which in turn affects its rotational speed and direction. A larger angular acceleration will cause a faster change in rotational motion, while a smaller angular acceleration will cause a slower change.

What factors can affect an object's angular acceleration?

The factors that can affect an object's angular acceleration include the object's mass, the distance from the axis of rotation, and the force applied to the object. Other factors such as air resistance, friction, and the object's shape can also affect angular acceleration.

Similar threads

Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
7
Views
8K
Replies
4
Views
12K
Replies
5
Views
5K
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
10
Views
2K
Back
Top