Given: Solution:

𝑚
𝑚1 = 5 𝑘𝑔 (3 𝑘𝑔)(9.8 2 )
𝑠
𝑎⃗ = 5 𝑘𝑔+3 𝑘𝑔
𝑚2 = 3 𝑘𝑔
𝑎⃗ = 3.675 𝑚⁄ 2
Unknown: 𝑠

Unbalanced force = 𝐹⃗ 𝑎⃗ ≈ 4 𝑚⁄ 2
𝑠
Acceleration of the blocks = 𝑎⃗
⃗⃗ = (5 𝑘𝑔)(3.675 𝑚⁄ 2 )
𝑇
⃗⃗
Tension in the string = 𝑇 𝑠

Equation: ⃗⃗ = 18.375 𝑁
𝑇

⃗⃗⃗⃗𝑥 = 𝑚1 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
∑𝐹 𝑎𝑥 ⃗⃗ ≈ 20 𝑁
𝑇
⃗⃗ = 𝑚1 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑇 𝑎𝑥
𝑎𝑥 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑎𝑦 = 𝑎⃗ 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = (3 𝑘𝑔) (9.8 𝑚⁄ 2 ) − 18.375 𝑁
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑠
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 11.025 𝑁
⃗⃗ = 𝑚1 𝑎⃗
𝑇
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 ≈ 10 𝑁

⃗⃗⃗⃗𝑥 = −𝑚1 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

∑𝐹 𝑎𝑦
Simplified answer:
⃗⃗ − 𝑚
𝑇 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗2 = −𝑚1 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑎𝑦
The acceleration of the blocks is 4 𝑚⁄ 2 ,
𝑠
⃗⃗ − 𝑚2 𝑔⃗ = −𝑚1 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑇 𝑎𝑦 the tension in the string is 20 N, and the
unbalanced force is 10 N favoring the 2nd
⃗⃗ = 𝑚2 𝑔⃗ − 𝑚1 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑇 𝑎𝑦 block.

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚 ⃗⃗
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗2 − 𝑇
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚2 𝑔⃗ − 𝑇

𝑚2 𝑔⃗ − 𝑚2 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑎𝑦 = 𝑚1 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑎𝑥

𝑚2 𝑔 = 𝑚1 𝑎⃗ + 𝑚2 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑎𝑥
𝑚2 𝑔 = 𝑎⃗(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 )
𝑚2 𝑔
𝑎⃗ = 𝑚
1 +𝑚2