An engine of a mass of 4500 kg is connected by a rope to a boxcar of mass 1500 k

Question

An engine of a mass of 4500 kg is connected by a rope to a boxcar of mass 1500 kg. The boxcar is connected to a second rope to a caboose of a mass of 2500 kg. The train is sitting on a flat railroad track and the driver starts the train engine moving so that the tension on the first rope is 4500 N. What is the tension on the second rope? How fast is the whole train accelerating?

block has a mass of 25 kg, hung midway between two pulleys, with a rope connecting a hook at the top of the block to each of the two pulleys. On the other side of the pulleys, both ropes are connected to blocks with masses of 15 kg. The 25 kg mass in the middle sags downward until the 3 blocks and 2 pulleys form the shape of an

Explanation / Answer

This is not the real world so we will have to assume zero friction in the 2 cars. The tension in the first rope is a force that will cause the boxcar and caboose to accelerate according to Newton's 2nd Law.
F = m*a
4500 N = (1500 kg + 2500 kg)*a
a = 4500 N / 4000 kg

The caboose has to accelerate at that same rate, so Newton's 2nd can find the force delivered to the caboose by the 2nd rope (which is the tension in that rope). Note that the mass being accelerated by the 2nd rope is 2500 kg.
F = m*a = 2500 kg*(4500 N/4000 kg)

You can work out the acceleration expression at the end of the first paragraph. In order to give the acceleration with the normal units, use the fact that 1 Newton = 1 kg.m/s^2

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.