Final answer:
The force exerted by m1 on the table is equal to its weight, calculated as 45.08 N. m2 does not exert a horizontal force on m1, only the tension in the rope, which is the same throughout and does not represent a direct force from m2 on m1.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to a situation in which two blocks are connected by a massless rope, where one block is on a frictionless table and the other is hanging. To answer the two parts of the question:
Force exerted by m1 on the table
The force exerted by the block m1 on the table is equal to its weight because the table provides a normal force upward balancing the downward gravitational force on m1. Therefore, the force exerted (Fm1) by m1 on the table is:
Fm1 = m1 × g = 4.6 kg × 9.8 m/s2 = 45.08 N (rounded to two decimal places).
Force exerted by m2 on m1
Since the blocks are connected by a massless rope and the pulley is frictionless, m2 exerts no horizontal force on m1. The only force m2 exerts is the tension in the rope, which is the same throughout the rope and this tension indirectly affects m1 by pulling it. However, m2 does not directly exert force on m1.