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Article
The Motion of Two Identical Masses Connected by an Ideal String Symmetrically Placed Over a Corner
American Journal of Physics
  • Asim Gangopadhyaya, Loyola University Chicago
  • Constantin Rasinariu, Columbia College Chicago
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2016
Pages
836-840
Disciplines
Abstract

We introduce a novel, two-mass system that slides up an inclined plane while its center of mass moves down. The system consists of two identical masses connected by an ideal string symmetrically placed over a corner-shaped support. This system is similar to a double-cone that rolls up an inclined set of V-shaped rails. We find the double-cone's motion easy to demonstrate but difficult to analyze. Our example here is more straightforward to follow, and the experimental observations are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Comments

Author Posting. © American Association of Physics Teachers 2016. This article is posted here by permission of the American Association of Physics Teachers for personal use, not for redistribution. The article was published in the American Journal of Physics, vol. 83, no. 11, 2016, http://aapt.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1119/1.4962226.

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0
Citation Information
Asim Gangopadhyaya and Constantin Rasinariu. "The Motion of Two Identical Masses Connected by an Ideal String Symmetrically Placed Over a Corner" American Journal of Physics Vol. 84 Iss. 11 (2016)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/constantin-rasinariu/18/