Detail Page
written by
Gary Gladding
published by the University of llinois Physics Education Research Group
This interactive problem for introductory physics features two blocks of differing mass connected by a string over an ideal pulley located at the edge of a table. Students must determine the magnitude of acceleration on Block B, given the length of the string and the mass of each block. A user-activated "help" sequence is provided for each step of the problem-solving, including conceptual analysis, free-body diagrams, and help with calculations. Immediate feedback is received for both correct and incorrect responses. This resource is part of a larger collection of interactive homework problems for introductory physics. See Related Materials for a link to the full collection.
Editor's Note: The author carefully takes learners step-by-step to determine the forces acting on each block in both the x and y directions. Even though the gravitational and normal forces cancel each other out for the block on the table, we think this is a superior way to help kids think about all the forces acting on interacting objects in a system.
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Record Link
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/precollege/items/detail.cfm?ID=6405">Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, August 31, 2014.</a>
AIP Format
G. Gladding, (University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, Urbana, 2006), WWW Document, (https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/ie_2_blocks_edge).
AJP/PRST-PER
G. Gladding, Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge (University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, Urbana, 2006), <https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/ie_2_blocks_edge>.
APA Format
Gladding, G. (2014, August 31). Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge. Retrieved March 23, 2025, from University of llinois Physics Education Research Group: https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/ie_2_blocks_edge
Chicago Format
Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, August 31, 2014. https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/ie_2_blocks_edge (accessed 23 March 2025).
MLA Format
Gladding, Gary. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge. Urbana: University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, 2006. 31 Aug. 2014. 23 Mar. 2025 <https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/ie_2_blocks_edge>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{
Author = "Gary Gladding",
Title = {Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge},
Publisher = {University of llinois Physics Education Research Group},
Volume = {2025},
Number = {23 March 2025},
Month = {August 31, 2014},
Year = {2006}
}
Refer Export Format
%A Gary Gladding %T Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge %D August 31, 2014 %I University of llinois Physics Education Research Group %C Urbana %U https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/ie_2_blocks_edge %O text/html
EndNote Export Format
%0 Electronic Source %A Gladding, Gary %D August 31, 2014 %T Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge %I University of llinois Physics Education Research Group %V 2025 %N 23 March 2025 %8 August 31, 2014 %9 text/html %U https://ie.per.physics.illinois.edu/per/ie/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/ie_2_blocks_edge Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. Illinois PER Interactive Examples: Two Masses on a Table Edge:
Is Part Of
Illinois PER: Interactive Examples
This is the full collection of homework problems by the same author. It contains six comprehensive problem sets classified by course level. relation by Caroline HallKnow of another related resource? Login to relate this resource to it. |
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