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Grade upto college level General Physics

A small block of mass m is placed on a wedge lying on a horizontal table. The wedge has mass M and face of the wedge is inclined at angle θ with the horizontal. Neglecting any friction, find the acceleration of two blocks.

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Profile image of Shane Macguire
12 Years agoGrade upto college level
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1 Answer

Profile image of Radhika Batra
12 Years ago

This Problem can be done in two ways.

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Method 1.

Take the free body diagram of two masses.

From this ax = g sin θ                                           …… (1)

and, m ay = mg cos θ – N                                     …… (2)

From this Nsinθ = ma                                           …… (3)

The Mass m is in contact with M

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Hence ay = a sin θ                                               …… (4)

From eqn (1) (2) (3) & (4)

Ax = g sin θ ay = m cos θ . sin2θ/(msin2θ + M)

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