A group of students set up the Atwood machine shown in the figure above, which consists of a light string passing over a pulley whose mass and friction are negligible. A counterweight of constant mass is connected to the right end of the string. A bucket full of water is connected to the left end of the string. The counterweight has a mass less than that of the full bucket, but greater than that of the empty bucket. At time t O seconds, the system is released from rest with the bucket full. At the same time, water begins to flow out of the bucket through a hole on the side near the bottom.

A group of students set up the Atwood machine shown in the figure above, which consists of a light string passing over a pulley whose mass and friction are negligible. A counterweight of constant mass is connected to the right end of the string. A bucket full of water is connected to the left end of the string. The counterweight has a mass less than that of the full bucket, but greater than that of the empty bucket. At time t O seconds, the system is released from rest with the bucket full. At the same time, water begins to flow out of the bucket through a hole on the side near the bottom.