Question

Three boxes, each of mass 15.0 kg are on a frictionless table, connected by massless strings. A force of tension T1 pulls on the right most box (A) such that the three boxes accelerate in the positive horizontal direction at a rate of a = 1.0 m/s2. What is the magnitude of T1?

Answer 1

The magnitude of T1, the tension in the string pulling box A, is 45.0 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the magnitude of T1, we need to consider the forces acting on box A. The tension in the string between A and B is equal to the force required to accelerate the system, which is the mass of the three boxes multiplied by the acceleration. So, Tension_AB = (3 * 15.0 kg) * (1.0 m/s^2) = 45.0 N.

The tension in the string between B and C is equal to the tension in the string between A and B, which is 45.0 N.

Therefore, the magnitude of T1, the tension in the string pulling box A, is also 45.0 N.