A particle of mass lies on a smooth horizontal table, joined by a light string over a smooth pulley at the edge to a particle of mass hanging vertically. Find the acceleration. (Take .)

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: A.

  1. Step 1: Hanging mass: . Table mass: .
  2. Step 2: Adding: , so m s.
Answer
.
Why not the others: is what you get if you treat the hanging particle as falling freely. is what you get if you forget that the table particle also accelerates the hanging one. is what you get if you use the table mass in the weight.

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