Answer:
4.0 m/s²
Explanation:
Draw two free body diagrams, one for the cart and one for the hanging mass.
The cart has one force acting on it in the x direction: tension to the right.
The hanging mass has two forces acting on it in the y direction: tension up and weight down.
The hanging mass accelerates downward, so if we take up to be positive, then the acceleration is negative.
Apply Newton's second law to the hanging mass:
āF = ma
T ā māg = mā(-a)
T ā māg = -māa
Apply Newton's second law to the cart:
āF = ma
T = māa
Substitute and solve for a:
māa ā māg = -māa
māa + māa = māg
(mā + mā) a = māg
a = māg / (mā + mā)
Given mā = 2.3 kg and mā = 1.6 kg:
a = (1.6 kg à 9.8 m/s²) / (2.3 kg + 1.6 kg)
a = 4.0 m/s²