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Blocks A and B, of masses m and m , are at rest on a frictionless surface, as shown above, with block A...

Blocks A and B, of masses m and m , are at rest on a frictionless surface, as shown above, with block A fixed to the table. Block C of mass m is suspended by a string that is tied to block B over an ideal pulley. Which of the following gives the magnitude of the force exerted by block A on block B ?

Answer

To determine the magnitude of the force exerted by block A on block B, we can analyze the forces acting on block C and how they relate to blocks A and B. 1. **Identify the forces**: - Block C has a gravitational force acting on it, which is its weight, given by: \[ F_g = m \cdot g \] - This force acts downward and is what causes tension in the string tied to block B. 2. **Tension in the string**: - Assuming the pulley is ideal, the tension \( T \) in the string is equal to the weight of block C when it is at rest: \[ T = m \cdot g \] 3. **Force on Block B**: - Block B is experiencing tension \( T \) upward due to the string and the force exerted by block A downward. According to Newton's second law, if Block B is stationary, the net force acting on it must equal zero. Therefore, the force exerted by block A on block B (let's denote it as \( F_{AB} \)) must balance the tension in the string: \[ F_{AB} = T \] 4. **Calculating \( F_{AB} \)**: - From our earlier conclusion, we can substitute \( T \) with the expression for the weight of Block C: \[ F_{AB} = m \cdot g \] 5. **Final result**: - Hence, the magnitude of the force exerted by block A on block B is:

The magnitude of the force exerted by block A on block B is: mg

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