Chapter 6, Problem 60P

GO In Fig. 6-46, a box of ant aunts (total mass m₁ = 1.65 kg) and a box of ant un cles (total mass m₂ = 3.30 kg) slide down an inclined plane while attached by a massless rod parallel to the plane. The angle of incline is θ = 30.0°. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the aunt box and the incline is µ₁= 0.226; that between the uncle box and the incline is µ₂ = 0.113. Compute (a) the tension in the rod and (b) the magnitude of the common acceleration of the two boxes. (c) How would the answers to (a) and (b) change if the uncles trailed the aunts?

Figure 6-46 Problem 60.