Final answer:
The acceleration of the system is 2.03127 m/s².
Step-by-step explanation:
The acceleration of the system can be calculated by considering the forces acting on the two masses. First, we need to find the net force on each mass:
For the 2kg mass moving up, the net force is the tension in the string minus the weight:
F_net = T - m_2 * g = T - (2kg) * (9.8 m/s^2)
For the 4kg mass sliding to the right, the net force is the force of friction:
F_net = f_f = m_1 * g * Mu = (4kg) * (9.8 m/s^2) * 0.40
To find the acceleration, we equate the net force on each mass to its mass times acceleration:
T - (2kg) * (9.8 m/s^2) = (2kg) * a
(4kg) * (9.8 m/s^2) * 0.40 = (4kg) * a
Solving these equations gives us:
a = 2.03127 m/s^2