Question

In the given arrangement pulleys and string are massless and frictionless and all surfaces are smooth. Find the magnitude of acceleration of wedge of mass M.

Answer 1

Given:

In the given arrangement pulleys and string are massless and frictionless and all surfaces are smooth.  

To find:

Find the magnitude of acceleration of wedge of mass M.

Solution:

From the given diagram of free body, we have,  

The net horizontal force on the wedge is given as,

(F − Fcos φ)

Let the acceleration of the wedge is a.

So, we use the formula, Force = Mass × Acceleration

(F − Fcos φ) = Ma

a = (F − Fcos φ)/M

Therefore, the magnitude of the acceleration of wedge of mass M is (F − Fcos φ)/M