Physics 2A: Lecture 10

Today’s Agenda

§ More discussion of Newton’s Laws

§ Multiple objects
§ Newton’s third law
§ How to solve Force problems
§ Examples
 Clicker Question 1:
Bob pushes on a cart of mass 50 kg with a horizontal force Fpush. There is no friction. The
cart has an acceleration of 5 m/s2.
Which one of the following statements is true?
(a) By Newton's third law, the cart applies an equal and opposite force of magnitude
Fpush on Bob.
(b) The cart applies an opposite force on Bob, but it is smaller in magnitude than Fpush
because of the acceleration force.
(c) The force the cart applies on Bob is responsible for the acceleration of the cart.
(d) The cart applies no force on Bob, because it is not pushing back on him.
(e) The cart applies an opposite force on Bob and it is larger in magnitude than Fpush.

Student: I am confused if the cart is pushing an equal but opposite force to me

when I am pushing it, then how does the box start to move in problem 1. Also, how
does the box gain its acceleration?
 Clicker Question 1:
Student: I am confused if the cart is pushing an equal but opposite force to me
when I am pushing it, then how does the box start to move in problem 1. Also, how
does the box gain its acceleration?
 Solving Force Problems
Step 1: What forces are acting on our object?
Step 2: Draw a Free Body Diagram for each object.
Step 3: Select coordinate system.
Try to get as many forces in x-y direction
Step 4: Break all forces into x-y components
Step 5: Apply Newton’s Second law.
SFX = maX
SFY = maY
Step 6: Solve for what you need.
 Example
Step 5: Apply Newton’s Second law.

FN m8g T

m3g

Student: Why do we not use the mass just 8kg for F=ma, is it because that the Net
force is responsible for the acceleration of both mass so we use 8+3 as mass?
 Clicker Question 2:
Assume two blocks are set up as below. There is no
friction between the top block and the table. The ropes are
massless and the pulley is frictionless and massless.
What is the tension in the rope?

a) 8.0 N 8 kg
b) 13.4 N
c) 21.4 N
d) 29.37 N 3 kg
e) 33.33 N
Assume two blocks are set up as below. There is no
friction between the top block and the table. The ropes are
massless and the pulley is frictionless and massless.
What is the tension in the rope? 8 kg

3 kg
 Clicker Question 3:
Same problem, however now there is a coefficient of
kinetic friction between the 8 kg block and table of µK =
0.2. Assume the blocks accelerate, what acceleration
do the blocks have? The ropes are massless and the
pulley is frictionless and massless.

a) Zero m/s2 8 kg
b) 0.67 m/s2
c) 1.25 m/s2
d) 2.34 m/s2 3 kg
e) 3.33 m/s2
Same problem, however now there is a coefficient of
kinetic friction between the 8 kg block and table of µK =
0.2. The ropes are massless and the pulley is
frictionless and massless. Assume the blocks
accelerate, what acceleration do the blocks have?

8 kg

3 kg
 Announcements
§ Stage 2 due Thursday at 11:59
§ Problem Set 2 due Friday 11:59pm
§ PCQ Grading

https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/Modules/Evals?e6540125

I need to leave at 9:50 today.

 Clicker Question 4:
Two blocks, m1 = 5 kg and m2 = 3 kg, are connected by a
rope around a frictionless, massless pulley as pictured
below. Compare the magnitude of the accelerations of
the blocks.

(A) a1 < a2
(B) a1 > a2
(C) a1 = a2

Physics 201: Lecture 5, Pg 11

 Clicker Question 5:
Two blocks, m1 = 5 kg and m2 = 3 kg, are connected by a massless rope
around a frictionless, massless pulley as pictured below. Which equation
below would be a result of applying Newton’s second law correctly to either
block 1 or block 2? Call the tension acting on block 1 T1 and the tension
acting on block 2 T2.

(A) 𝑇! − 𝑚! 𝑔 = 𝑚! 𝑎!
(B)−𝑇! − 𝑚! 𝑔 = −𝑚! 𝑎!
(C) −𝑇! + 𝑚! 𝑔 = +𝑚! 𝑎!
(D) −𝑇" + 𝑚" 𝑔 = −𝑚! 𝑎"
(E) 𝑇" − 𝑚" 𝑔 = −𝑚" 𝑎"

Physics 201: Lecture 5, Pg 12