Homework Help Forum: Physics 10th Grade

Posted by Claire on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 6:41pm.

Hi im kinda confused still on Pulley systems and hoping someone can help me out. The two masses (m1 = 5.5kg and m2 = 3.0kg) in the Atwood's machine shown in The Figureare released from rest, with at a height of 0.89m above the floor. When m1 hits the ground its speed is 1.8 m/s. Assuming that the pulley is a uniform disk with a radius of 12 , outline a strategy that allows you to find the mass of the pulley. Does this have to with conservation of energy in someway? Kinda confused.

• Physics 10th Grade - bobpursley, Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 6:48pm

  yes. The energy in the mass falling, and the energy in the mass going up, and the KE of the pulley, are equal to the total initial GPE.

  
  

• Physics 10th Grade - Claire, Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 6:52pm

  That makes sense, but what kinda of formula would i then use to solve it? I;m only going off of powerpoints its kinda bad.

  
  

• Physics 10th Grade - bobpursley, Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 7:20pm

  Intial PEmass1+ initialPEmass2 =finalKEmass2+FinalKEmass1+finalKEpulley+finalPEmass2+finalPEmass1

  
  

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