How does acceleration of the system change when the string connected to the hang

Question

How does acceleration of the system change when the string connected to the hanging mass is not massless?

-The goal is to discuss the scenario of a heavy string connecting the hanging weight with the cart and give a correct prediction of the acceleration.

The experiment was set up like this: There was a cart (of constant mass) on an air track, connected by a string that hung a mass (in this case we called it the "hanging mass") over the edge of the tabletop. We were to test the acceleration of the system when more mass is added to the hanging mass end of the string. I know that in most physics scenarios we declare the string and/or pulley as massless, but I'm not so sure as to why.

*I think it has something to do with if the string was not massless then the force wouldn't be perfectly transmitted to the cart on the air track, and because less force would be applied, the acceleration of the system(cart) would decrease?

Can someone help me answer this!

Explanation / Answer

As, total acceleration = Fnet/(total mass)

Here, if the string was not massless then the total mass will be equal to hanging mass plus mass of the string .

=>   total acceleration = Fnet/(M + m)

where, m = mass of string

           M = hanging mass

=>   acceleration of the system decreases .

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse H
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.