In the figure shown, the blocks have equal masses. Friction, mass of the string and the mass of the pulley…

In the figure shown, the blocks have equal masses. Friction, mass of the string and the mass of the pulley are negligible. The magnitude of the acceleration of the centre of mass of the two blocks is (Acceleration due to gravity \(=g\)).
  1. \(\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{\sqrt{2}}\right) g\)
  2. \(\frac{g}{2}\)
  3. \((\sqrt{3}-1) g\)
  4. \(\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{4 \sqrt{2}}\right) g\)

Solution

For a pulley and block system on a smooth double inclined plane as shown below
Force equation for both the blocks, \(\Rightarrow \quad m g \cos 30^{\circ}-T=m a\) ...(i) \(\Rightarrow \quad T-m g \cos 60^{\circ}=m a\) ...(ii) From above equation we get, \(a=\frac{(\sqrt{3}-1)}{4} g\) \(\because\) Magnitude of the acceleration of centre of mass, \(\mathbf{a}_{C M}=\left|\frac{m \mathbf{a}_1+m \mathbf{a}_2}{m+m}\right|\) Here, \(\mathbf{a}_{C M}=\left|\frac{\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{4}\right) g \hat{\mathbf{i}}+\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{4}\right) g \hat{\mathbf{j}}}{2}\right|\) \(\begin{aligned} & =\frac{g}{2} \sqrt{\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{4}\right)^2+\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{4}\right)^2} \\ & =\frac{g}{2} \times \sqrt{2} \times \frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{4} \\ & =\left(\frac{\sqrt{3}-1}{4 \sqrt{2}}\right) g \end{aligned}\) Hence, option (d) is correct.

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2019 (23 Apr Shift 1)

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