A mass of 8 kg is connected to a mass of 3 kg by a light, inelastic string which passes over a smooth pulley. The tension in the string isĻ
To find the tension in the string, we can use Newton's second law of motion. The tension in the string will be equal to the difference between the gravitational forces acting on the two masses.
First, let's calculate the gravitational force acting on each mass. The gravitational force can be calculated using the equation:
Force = mass × acceleration due to gravity
For the mass of 8 kg:
Force1 = 8 kg × 9.8 m/s² (acceleration due to gravity) = 78.4 N
For the mass of 3 kg:
Force2 = 3 kg × 9.8 m/s² = 29.4 N
Since the string is light and inelastic, we assume that the tension in the string is the same on both sides of the pulley.
Therefore, the tension in the string is equal to the difference between the two forces:
Tension = Force1 - Force2
= 78.4 N - 29.4 N
= 49 N
So, the tension in the string is 49 Newtons (N).