Pulley system on a double inclined plane
This article discusses a scenario/arrangement whose statics/dynamics/kinematics can be understood using the ideas of classical mechanics.
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This article is about the following scenario. A fixed triangular wedge has two inclines and making angles and with the horizontal, thus making it a double inclined plane. A pulley is affixed to the top vertex of the triangle. A string through the pulley has attached at its two ends blocks of masses and , resting on the two inclines and respectively. The string is inextensible. The coefficients of static and kinetic friction between and are and respectively. The coefficients of static and kinetic friction between and are and respectively. Assume that and .
We assume the pulley to be massless so that its moment of inertia can be ignored for the information below.
Summary of cases starting from rest
| Case | What happens qualitatively | Magnitude of accelerations |
|---|---|---|
| slides downward and slides upward, with the same magnitude of acceleration | . | |
| slides downward and slides upward, with the same magnitude of acceleration | . | |
| The system remains at rest |