Newtons Laws applyied to pulleys

[Little1]

Homework Statement

There is a drawing with a block weight 416N on a table attached to a string that is running through a pulley at the end of the table. On the other end of the string a block that is hanging off the side of the table with a weight of 215N. Ignore all frictional effects and assume the pulley is massless. Find the acceleration of the 2 blocks and the tension of the cord.

Homework Equations

EF = ma
EFx = the sum of all the forces in the x direction
EFy= the sum of all the forces in the y direction

The Attempt at a Solution

I attempted to draw the free body diagram with all the forces labeled including the normal force, weight, and tension.

 

[Delphi51]

If you can show or describe your FBD for each mass, someone will help you write the sum-of-forces = ma equation for each diagram.

 

[tomcue]

From there, I applied Newton's Second Law (EF = ma) to both blocks separately, taking into account the direction of the forces and the acceleration. I also used Newton's Third Law (equal and opposite forces) to determine the tension in the string. Using the given weights of the blocks, I was able to solve for the acceleration of both blocks and the tension in the string. It is important to note that since the pulley is massless, it does not contribute to the overall forces in the system. Therefore, the acceleration and tension are solely determined by the weights of the blocks and the direction of the string.