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On this page I put together a collection of pulley problems to help you

understand pulley systems better. The required equations and background
reading to solve these problems are given on the friction page, the
equilibrium page, and Newton's second law page.

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Problem # 1

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A block of mass m is pulled, via pulley, at constant velocity along a surface

inclined at angle . The coeicient of kinetic friction is k, between block

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and surface. Determine the pulling force F. Answer: mgcosk+mgsin

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Problem # 2
Two blocks of mass m and M are hanging o a single pulley, as shown.
Determine the acceleration of the blocks. Ignore the mass of the pulley.
Hint and answer

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Problem # 3

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Two blocks of mass m and M are connected via pulley with a configuration
as shown. The coeicient of static friction is s, between block and surface.
What is the maximum mass m so that no sliding occurs? Answer: maximum
m = Ms

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Problem # 4
Two blocks of mass m and M are connected via pulley with a configuration
as shown. The coeicient of static friction is s, between block and surface.
What is the minimum and maximum mass M so that no sliding occurs?
Hint and answer

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Problem # 5
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Two blocks of mass m and M are connected via pulley with a configuration
as shown. The coeicient of static friction is s, between blocks and
surface. What is the maximum mass m so that no sliding occurs? Answer:

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Maximum m = Ms/(sincoss)

Problem # 6
Two blocks of mass m and M are connected via pulley with a configuration
as shown. The coeicient of static friction between the le block and the
surface is s1, and the coeicient of static friction between the right block
and the surface is s2. Formulate a mathematical inequality for the
condition that no sliding occurs. There may be more than one inequality.
Hint and answer

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Problem # 7
A block of mass m is pulled, via two pulleys as shown, at constant velocity
along a surface inclined at angle . The coeicient of kinetic friction is k,
between block and surface. Determine the pulling force F. Ignore the mass
of the pulleys.
Hint and answer

Problem # 8
A block of mass m is li ed at constant velocity, via two pulleys as shown.
Determine the pulling force F. Ignore the mass of the pulleys.
Hint and answer

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Problem # 9
A block of mass M is li ed at constant velocity, via an arrangement of
pulleys as shown. Determine the pulling force F. Ignore the mass of the
pulleys.
Hint and answer

The hints and answers for these pulley problems will be given next.
Hints And Answers For Pulley Problems
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Hint and answer for Problem # 2

This is called the Atwood machine and is commonly used for
demonstration in physics classes.
Apply Newton's second law to the block on the le . We have MgT = Ma
(taking the downward direction as positive). Apply Newton's second law to
the block on the right. We have mgT = -ma (the acceleration of the two
blocks have opposite signs, since one moves up and the other moves
down). Combine these two equations and we can find an expression for
the acceleration of the blocks.
Answer: a = (Mm)g/(M+m)

Hint and answer for Problem # 4

For the maximum mass M, the block is on the verge of sliding down the
incline. This means that MgsinTMgcoss = 0, where T is the tension in
the rope. Since T = mg, we can calculate the maximum M from the previous
equation.
For the minimum mass M, the block is on the verge of sliding up the incline.
This means that MgsinT+Mgcoss = 0, where T = mg. We can calculate
the minimum M from the previous equation.
Answer: Minimum M = m/(sin+coss), Maximum M = m/(sincoss)

Hint and answer for Problem # 6

This is a challenging problem! It took me a while to figure this one out!
At some angle 1 > max1 block M will slide down on its own if there is no
rope attached. Similarly, at some angle 2 > max2 block m will slide down
on its own if there is no rope attached.
It is known that max1 = atan(s1) and max2 = atan(s2).
If 1 max1 and 2 max2 then no sliding occurs. There are three more
cases to consider.
Case 1:
1 > max1 and 2 max2.
Apply the equilibrium equation to block M in which it is on the brink of
sliding down. We have: Mgsin1Mgcos1s1Tmin1 = 0, where Tmin1
corresponds to the minimum rope tension preventing block M from sliding
down. (Note that the system naturally "settles" such that the rope tension
T required to stop the block from sliding down is the minimum possible
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amount). For T < Tmin1 the block slides down. From this equation we get
Tmin1 = Mgsin1Mgcos1s1. Call this equation (1).
There is no need to consider block M sliding up since it is an impossibility
for 2 max2 (which means block m cannot slide down which means it
cannot pull block M up).
Tmin1 must be provided by the block m and must not exceed the maximum
rope tension which can be resisted by block m and not be pulled up the
incline. This maximum rope tension can be determined from the following
equilibrium equation applied to block m: mgsin2+mgcos2s2Tmax2 = 0,
from which Tmax2 = mgsin2+mgcos2s2. Call this equation (2).
For no sliding Tmin1 Tmax2. Therefore, from equation (1) and (2) we have
the final inequality for this case:
Msin1Mcos1s1 msin2+mcos2s2
Case 2:
1 max1 and 2 > max2.
This is the same as case 1, by symmetry. Hence, the final inequality for this
case is:
msin2mcos2s2 Msin1+Mcos1s1
Case 3:
1 > max1 and 2 > max2.
The blocks will slide together in one direction or the other. To determine
the direction we must first calculate the net force pulling down on each
block along their respective inclines, as a result of gravity. We do this as
follows:
For block M, Fnet1 = Mgsin1Mgcos1s1. And Fnet1 > 0 since 1 > max1.
For block m, Fnet2 = mgsin2mgcos2s2. And Fnet2 > 0 since 2 > max2.
We now have three sub-cases to consider. The final inequalities for this
case will be given within these three sub-cases, as follows.
Case 3A:
If Fnet1 = Fnet2 the blocks will not slide.
Case 3B:
If Fnet1 > Fnet2, then Fnet1 mgsin2+mgcos2s2 for no sliding. Note that
Fnet1 is equal to the rope tension, and this rope tension is the minimum
required to prevent block M from sliding down the incline.
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Hence, for no sliding: Msin1Mcos1s1 msin2+mcos2s2

Case 3C:
If Fnet2 > Fnet1, then Fnet2 Mgsin1+Mgcos1s1 for no sliding. Note that
Fnet2 is equal to the rope tension, and this rope tension is the minimum
required to prevent block m from sliding down the incline.
Hence, for no sliding: msin2mcos2s2 Msin1+Mcos1s1
We are done!

Hint and answer for Problem # 7

Apply the condition of static equilibrium to the block. We have 2Fmgsin
mgcosk = 0. The term 2F comes from a force analysis in which we see
that there are two segments of rope pulling equally on the block. We then
solve this equation for F.
Answer: F = (1/2)mg(sin+kcos)

Hint and answer for Problem # 8

Apply the condition of static equilibrium to the block. We have 2Fmg = 0.
The term 2F comes from a force analysis in which we see that there are two
segments of rope pulling equally on the block. We then solve this equation
for F.
Answer: F = mg/2

Hint and answer for Problem # 9

Upon close inspection we see that the bottom two pulleys are held up by
four segments of rope. The tension in the rope is assumed equal
throughout its length (a good assumption for ropes in general since they
weigh little). Three of the four rope segments are vertical while the
remaining rope segment is at a small angle with the vertical. But for ease of
calculation we can treat it as being exactly vertical. Since we are ignoring
the mass of the pulleys, the tension in the four rope segments must equal
the weight of the mass, in order to satisfy the condition of static
equilibrium. Hence, 4FMg = 0. We then solve this equation for F.
Answer: F = Mg/4

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