Atwood's Machine, massive pulley and upwards force acting upon it.

In summary, the usual configuration of an Atwood's Machine involves two masses, m1 and m2, with unknown accelerations a1 and a2, respectively, connected by a rope with unknown tension T, and a pulley with a mass of mp and an upward force F acting on it. To find T and a1 and a2, you need to analyze the pulley and the whole system, as well as the individual masses, using Newton's Second Law.
  • #1
DavidDante
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Homework Statement


The usual configuration of an Atwood's Machine.
Two masses: m1, m2
Accelerations (unknown): a1, a2, ap (Pulley)
Rope Tension: T (Unknown)
BUT:
Massive pulley: mp
Upwards force acting on pulley (i.e the pulley is not in equilibrium): F

NOTE: Consider that all the pulley's mass in concentrated at the center of the pulley, so as not to consider the moment of inertia. (Is this ok?)

Question: Find the tension T, and the accelerations a1, a2.

Homework Equations


Newton's Second Law


The Attempt at a Solution


So this is what I tried:
Analyzing the pulley.
F - 2T - mp . g = mp . ap.........(I)

Analyzing the whole System as a unit:
F - (mp + m1 + m2) . g = (mp + m1 + m2) . ap....(II)

Analyzing m1:
T - m1 . g = m1 . a1..........(III)

From (II) I derived ap in terms of known constants, then I replaced ap (in terms of the constants) in (I) and I found T in terms of known constants. Finally I replaced the equation for T in (III).


So this is what I've got. Did I miss anything? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks-
 
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  • #2
Consider that all the pulley's mass in concentrated at the center of the pulley, so as not to consider the moment of inertia. (Is this ok?)
That is only OK if the operation of the machine means that the pulley does not rotate.

The approach you want is to draw three free-body diagrams, one for each mass and another for the pulley. You need to relate the tensions to the torques on the pulley.
 

Related to Atwood's Machine, massive pulley and upwards force acting upon it.

1. What is an Atwood's Machine?

An Atwood's Machine is a simple mechanical device consisting of a pulley, a string, and two masses. It is used to demonstrate the principles of Newton's laws of motion and the concept of mechanical advantage.

2. How does an Atwood's Machine work?

The Atwood's Machine works by balancing the forces acting on the two masses attached to either side of the pulley. The force of gravity on each mass creates a tension in the string, which causes the masses to accelerate in opposite directions. The acceleration of the masses is equal and opposite, resulting in a constant velocity of the pulley.

3. What is the purpose of a massive pulley in an Atwood's Machine?

The massive pulley in an Atwood's Machine serves to increase the tension in the string, which in turn increases the acceleration of the masses. This allows for a more dramatic demonstration of the principles of Newton's laws of motion.

4. How does the upwards force acting upon the massive pulley affect the Atwood's Machine?

The upwards force acting upon the massive pulley can be thought of as an additional mass on one side of the pulley. This increases the overall mass on that side, resulting in a greater tension in the string and a faster rate of acceleration for the masses.

5. What are some real-world applications of an Atwood's Machine?

An Atwood's Machine is used in various industries, such as construction and transportation, to lift heavy objects or provide mechanical advantage. It is also commonly used in physics classrooms to demonstrate the principles of mechanics and to calculate the acceleration due to gravity.

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