A student tries to raise a chain consisting of three identical links. Each link

Question

A student tries to raise a chain consisting of three identical links. Each link has a mass of m. The three-piece chain is connected to a string and then suspended vertically, with the student holding the upper end of the string and pulling upward. Because of the student's pull, an upward force of F is applied to the chain by the string. Use Newton's laws to answer the following questions.

A student tries to raise a chain consisting of three identical links. Each link has a mass of m. The three-piece chain is connected to a string and then suspended vertically, with the student holding the upper end of the string and pulling upward. Because of the student's pull, an upward force of F is applied to the chain by the string. Use Newton's laws to answer the following questions.

Part A

Find the acceleration of the chain.

Take the free fall acceleration to be g.

Part B

Find the force exerted by the top link on the middle link.

Explanation / Answer

(a) Given F=MA, A=F/M

the chain weighs 3m so:

a=F/3m (if your looking for the accel the chain feels)
or
a=F/3m - g (if your looking for the accel upwards relative to the room)

(b) The force between the top and middle link is:
f2=a*2m
or using the result for a we just computed
f2=F/3m *2m=2/3 F

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