- #1
Inertialforce
- 68
- 2
Homework Statement
Three blocks are placed onto a frictionless horizontal surface. These blocks are side by side and are in contact with each other. Let m1=2m2=5m3. Answer the following exercises.
a)If a force is applied to m1, then show that
i)Fa = 17/2m3a
ii)F12 = 7/2m3a where F12 is the contact force of mass 1 on mass 2
iii)F23=m3a
Homework Equations
F=ma
The Attempt at a Solution
Fx1=m1a Fx2=m2a Fx3=m3a
Fa-F21-F31=m1a F12-F32=m2a F13+F23=m3a
Fa=m1a+F21+F31 F12=m2a+F32 F13=m3a+F23
Fa=m1a=(m2a=F23)=(m3a-F32)
Fa=m1a=m2a=m3a
I'm not quite sure if this is the way to even go about it. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.