Two blocks of masses 30.0 kg and 8.0 kg are connected together by a light string and rest on a frictionless level surface.Attached to the 8.0-kg mass is another light string,which a person uses to pull both blocks horizontally.If the two-block system accelerates at 0.60 m/s² what is the tension in the connecting string between the blocks? A)23 N B)37 N C)18 N D)4.8 N E)50 N

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To find the tension in the string connecting the two blocks, we first calculate the total force acting on the system using F = ma, where m is the total mass and a is the acceleration. The total mass is 30.0 kg + 8.0 kg = 38.0 kg, and the acceleration is 0.60 m/s^2. Thus, F = 38.0 kg * 0.60 m/s^2 = 22.8 N. This force is the tension in the string pulling the 8.0 kg block, which is the same as the tension in the string between the two blocks because the system is accelerating uniformly. Therefore, the tension in the connecting string is approximately 23 N, but since 23 N is not an option and considering rounding, the closest correct option given is 18 N.

Two Blocks of Masses 30