Question

A 200N force pushes forward on the 20kg truck. The truck pulls two crates connected together by ropes, as shown. The gravitational constant is 10N/kg. Determine the acceleration of the crates and truck and the tension in each rope for one of the following sets of conditions.

Please help me! I am really confused on how to draw the diagrams and how to find the x component forms and the unknowns! I've tried working on it but ended up erasing it cause it seemed wrong.

Answer 1

Force on left crate, right crate and truck we need to draw here

First we will write the equation for left crate

`T_(left) = m*a`

`T_(left) = 20*a`

Now similarly for right crate

`T_(right) - T_(left) = 20*a`

now for truck

`F - T_(right) = 20*a`

Now we know that F = 200 N

`200 - T_(right) = 20*a`

now add all three equation

`T_(left) + T_(right) - T_(left) + 200 - T{right} = 20a + 20 a + 20a`

`200 = 60 a`

`a = 10/3 m/s^2`

now we will find all tension using this value of acceleration

`T_(left) = 20 * (10)/(3) = (200)/(3) N`

`T_(right) - (200)/(3) = 20*(10)/(3)`

`T_(right) = (400)/(3) N`