Question 1.

A triangular prism of mass M is placed one side on a frictionless horizontal plane as

shown in Fig. 1. The other two sides are inclined with respect to the plane at angles 1 and 2
respectively. Two blocks of masses m1 and m2, connected by an inextensible thread, can slide
without friction on the surface of the prism. The mass of the pulley, which supports the thread,
is negligible.
Express the acceleration a of the blocks relative to the prism in terms of the
acceleration a0 of the prism.
Find the acceleration a0 of the prism in terms of quantities given and the acceleration g
due to gravity.
At what ratio m1/m2 the prism will be in equilibrium?

m2

m1
1

2
Fig. 1

Question 1.
The blocks slide relative to the prism with accelerations a1 and a2, which are parallel to
its sides and have the same magnitude a (see Fig. 1.1). The blocks move relative to the earth
with accelerations:
(1.1)
w1 = a1 + a0;
(1.2)
w2 = a2 + a0.
Now we project w1 and w2 along the x- and y-axes: y
w1x a cos 1 a 0 ;
(1.3)
w1
w1 y a sin 1 ;
(1.4)
a1
w2 x a cos 2 a0 ;
(1.5)
a0
w2 a2
w2 y a sin 2 .
(1.6)
1
2
Fig. 1.1
x
The equations of motion for the blocks and for the prism have the following vector forms (see
Fig. 1.2):
m1 w 1 m1g R 1 T1 ;
(1.7)
m2 w 2 m2 g R 2 T2 ;
(1.8)
Ma 0 Mg R 1 R 2 R T1 T2 .
(1.9)
y
T2

R 1 T1
R
m1g

R2
m2g

Mg

Fig. 1.2
The forces of tension T1 and T2 at the ends of the thread are of the same magnitude T since the
masses of the thread and that of the pulley are negligible. Note that in equation (1.9) we
account for the net force (T1 + T2), which the bended thread exerts on the prism through the
pulley. The equations of motion result in a system of six scalar equations when projected
along x and y:
m1 a cos 1 m1 a 0 T cos 1 R1 sin 1 ;
(1.10)
m1 a sin 1 T sin 1 R1 cos 1 m1 g ;
(1.11)
m 2 a cos 2 m2 a 0 T cos 2 R2 sin 2 ;
(1.12)
m2 a sin 2 T sin 2 R2 sin 2 m2 g ;
(1.13)
Ma0 R1 sin 1 R2 sin 2 T cos 1 T cos 2 ;
(1.14)
0 R R1 cos 1 R2 cos 2 Mg .
(1.15)
By adding up equations (1.10), (1.12), and (1.14) all forces internal to the system cancel each
other. In this way we obtain the required relation between accelerations a and a0:
M m1 m2
a a0
(1.16)
.
m1 cos 1 m2 cos 2
The straightforward elimination of the unknown forces gives the final answer for a0:
(m1 sin 1 m2 sin 2 )(m1 cos 1 m2 cos 2 )
a0
(1.17)
.
(m1 m2 M )(m1 m2 ) (m1 cos 1 m2 cos 2 ) 2
It follows from equation (1.17) that the prism will be in equilibrium (a0 = 0) if:
m1 sin 2

(1.18)
.
m2 sin 1