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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.
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Classical Mechanics
- Newton's Second Law
= Force, Acceleration
= Interacting Objects
- Newton's Third Law
= Action/Reaction
Education Practices
- Active Learning
= Problem Solving
- High School
- Lower Undergraduate
- Instructional Material
= Activity
= Best practice
= Problem/Problem Set
= Tutorial
Appropriate Courses Categories Ratings
- Conceptual Physics
- Algebra-based Physics
- AP Physics
- Activity
- Assessment
- New teachers
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Intended User:
Learner
Format:
text/html
Access Rights:
Free access
Restriction:
© 2006 University of Illinois Physics Education Research Group
Keywords:
Newton's Second Law, force, force interactions, homework problem, ideal pulley, interactive problem, problem, pulley, tension
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created January 28, 2008 by Alea Smith
Record Updated:
November 19, 2014 by Caroline Hall
Last Update
when Cataloged:
August 31, 2014
Other Collections:

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Record Link
AIP Format
G. Gladding, (University of llinois Physics Education Research Group, Urbana, 2006), WWW Document, (https://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://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 October 7, 2024, from University of llinois Physics Education Research Group: https://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://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/IE_2_blocks_edge (accessed 7 October 2024).
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. 7 Oct. 2024 <https://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 = {2024}, Number = {7 October 2024}, 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://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 2024 %N 7 October 2024 %8 August 31, 2014 %9 text/html %U https://per.physics.illinois.edu/per/IE/ie.pl?phys111/ie/03/IE_2_blocks_edge


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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

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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 Hall

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