I posted this question earlier and I still don't get it

So I got a question
One 3.5-kg paint bucket is hanging by a massless cord from another 3.5-kg pain bucket, aslo hanging by a massless cord

if the buckets are at rest, what is the tension in each cord?

How do I do this is this just the normal or what I do not understand how you do this problem

also the second question
If the two buckets are pulled upward with an accelration of 1.6 s^-2 m by the upper ocrd, calculate the tnesion in each cord.

Reread what I posted, not the formula, but the words.

Post your work. I will critique it.

To find the tension in each cord, you can start by considering the forces acting on each bucket. The two buckets are connected by a massless cord, so they will experience the same tension.

1. When the buckets are at rest:
Since the buckets are at rest, the net force acting on each bucket must be equal to zero. This means that the tension in each cord must balance the weight of the bucket.

The weight is given by the formula W = mg, where m is the mass and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2). As both buckets have a mass of 3.5 kg, the weight of each bucket is 3.5 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 34.3 N.

Since the tension in each cord is the same, the total weight of both buckets (34.3 N + 34.3 N) must be balanced by the tension. Therefore, the tension in each cord is 34.3 N.

2. When the buckets are pulled upward with an acceleration of 1.6 m/s^2:
In this case, there is an additional force acting on the system – the force required to accelerate the buckets upward.

First, calculate the net force acting on each bucket. The formula for net force is F_net = ma, where m is the mass and a is the acceleration.

For the bottom bucket, the net force is equal to the weight (34.3 N) minus the tension in the cord (let's call it T):
F_net = 34.3 N - T

For the top bucket, the net force is equal to the weight (34.3 N) plus the tension in the cord (also T), as the direction of the tension flips:
F_net = 34.3 N + T

Since the acceleration is the same for both buckets and is equal to 1.6 m/s^2, the net force for each bucket is given by F_net = ma = 3.5 kg * 1.6 m/s^2 = 5.6 N.

Solving the two equations for F_net and T simultaneously will give you the tension in each cord.

For the bottom bucket:
34.3 N - T = 5.6 N

For the top bucket:
34.3 N + T = 5.6 N

By solving these equations, you'll find that T is approximately 19.35 N.

Therefore, the tension in each cord, when the buckets are pulled upward with an acceleration of 1.6 m/s^2, is approximately 19.35 N.