Question icon
Grade 12Mechanics

A block of mass ‘m’ is connected to another block of mass ‘M’ by a spring (massless) of spring constant ‘k’. The blocks are kept on a smooth horizontal plane. Initially the blocks are at rest and the spring is unstretched. Then a constant force ‘F’ starts acting on the block of mass ‘M’ to pull it. Find the force on the block of mass ‘m’ (1) mFM (2) (M m)Fm+ (3) mF(m M) + (4) MF(m M)

Profile image of Shubham chhipa
8 Years agoGrade 12
Answers icon

1 Answer

Profile image of Arun
8 Years ago
m, x mass,coordianate of first block 
M, X mass,coordianate of second block
This problem is most conveniently solved in the frame of reference of center of mass. The accleration 'a' of center of mass is given by a = F/(M+m). This acceleration of frame of reference results in extra inertial force -Aµ acting any body of mass µ.
inertial force -ma = - m/(M+m) F
Hence option 3 is correct