When you have multiple masses attached to ropes hanging over (massless) pulleys, and if one of them moves, they all move simultaneously. This means they all have the magnitude of acceleration but differ in the direction that the acceleration points.

The tension in a given rope is the same everywhere, so the tension in the left rope exerts the same force on masses 1&2 while the tension shown in the right rope exerts the same force on masses 2&3.

The reason why the same rope has the same tension everywhere is because if the tension differed, then the rope would extend or snap due to an uneven force pulling on one side. For these problems, the rope is treated as a way to connect the masses together.

This topic, along with several more from forces, torque, and energy will be featured in Version 2 of my ‘Physics as a Science’ guide dropping in 2 days (read below for more)!

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2 Days Remaining: Physics as a Science (Version 2)!

The reason why you struggle in physics is because you don’t understand the science. You could easily compute basic equations like F=ma or W=Fdcos(θ) but if you run into a new problem you haven’t seen before, you’re screwed.

That’s why I’m releasing version 2 of my physics guide focusing on teaching you how to understand physics intuitively as a science 2 days from now so that you’ll never have to memorize a practice problem again since you understand the science very well.

Version 2 will feature every topic from version 1 (motion) along with over 600 pages of new topics including Newton’s laws, forces, center of mass, torque, and energy introduced in such a way that you could’ve derived these equations yourself. Down below are some of the slides featured in Version 2!

Make you purchase the guide on Monday, May 18th!

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Since you’re Here, check out my other offers to succeed in STEM!

The hardest part about math isn’t the raw calculations: it’s understanding what the math means when rearranging and graphing functions. Most students aren’t trained to interpret the math from a qualitative perspective which is why many students who are ‘good at math’ struggle in introductory chemistry, physics, and engineering courses.

That’s why I’ve created the Ultimate Algebra Guide for Science & Engineering Majors which covers all of the relevant concepts from algebra, trigonometry, and precalculus courses that are applicable for science & engineering majors condensed into a 700+ page guide! 

Check out the algebra guide here!