Fig. 1: The schematic diagram for the moving system of masses
A rectangular parallelepiped solid mass, M', is fixed on a flat horizontal plane. A smaller, rectangular
parallelepiped solid mass M, placed on the top surface of M' is attached to two smaller masses, m each,
using inelastic cords via a frictionless pulley. Solids M' and M are held firmly and released. Weights of the
pulley and the cords are negligible when compared to those of the solid objects. Acceleration of gravity is
9.81 ms 2.
a. Mark the forces on the system
b. What is the resultant force by the moving sub-system on the large solid mass fixed on the floor? What
is the minimum external force required to keep the mass on the floor unmoved?
c. Initial length of the cord between M and the pulley is 21.
i. What is the speed at which M collides with the pulley?
ii. If the slow down distance after the impact is µ, what is the impact force?
d. If one of the m masses is detached from the system just as it has traveled I distance from the original
position
i. What is the velocity at which M collides with the pulley?
ii.
Sketch the velocity-time graph for mass, M
iii. Sketch the acceleration-time graph of mass, M