Question

A monkey is climbing on a rope that goes over a smooth light pulley and supports a block of equal mass at the other end (figure 5-E19). Show that whatever force the monkey exerts on the rope, the monkey and the bloc move in the same direction with equal acceleration. If initially both were at rest, their separation will not change as time passes.

Answer 1

Suppose the monkey accelerates upward with acceleration ’a’ & the block, accelerate downward with acceleration a₁. Let Force exerted by monkey is equal to ‘T’ From the free body diagram of monkey

The block & the monkey move in the same direction with equal acceleration. If initially they are rest (no force is exertied by monkey) no motion of monkey of block occurs as they have same weight (same mass). Their separation will not change as time passes.