Colliding Bodies Dynamics

[kamaraosman61]

a towing van of mass 2300kg is attached to an auto mobile of mass 1350kg by a wire rope of 4.5m effective length. The initial distance between the fixing points for this rope is 3m so that the van may move 1.5m forward before the rope tightens. The van is accelerated from the initial at rest position under a uniform tractive effort of 2.5KN. Determine the van speed

[bhg481]

You seem to have missed out part of the question. Determine the van speed when? After 10 secs? After 100 metres?

[TonyV]

More homework?

[Hopkirk]

Well the van driver really should have gently taken up the slack before accelerating.

[spathiphyllum]

To determine speed.. we need some kind of distance and some kind of time. Weights will not help.

[Calibax]

I think you need to know the friction acting on the car as well.

[nescio]

if it means the van's speed when the slack in the rope is taken up, i.e. after 1.5m distance travelled, you have all the information you need

[bhg481]

nescio - in that case the mass of the car being towed is irrelevant.

[Hopkirk]

I hope it's a decent rope, or it's going to snap.

[nescio]

up to the point when the rope becomes taut. After that, the speed can be determined via momentum of combined mass, ignoring complications of accelerating the car, elasticity of rope, etc., etc.