1G10.40 - Atwood's Machine

Code Number:
1G10.40
Demo Title:
Atwood's Machine
Condition:
Good
Principle:
Frictional Drag of Pulley and Cord
Area of Study:
Mechanics
Equipment:
Pulley (Single), String, Masses (2 Each) (100, 500, 1000 Grams), Set of Masses (10 to 1000 Grams), and Vertical stand.
Procedure:

Assemble as shown.

Video Credit: Daniel Reinart.

References:
  • Arturo Carlos Marti, Martin Monteiro, Cecilia Stari, "The Circular Atwood Machine", TPT, Vol. 62, #2, Feb. 2024, p. 150.
  • Nuno M. Campos, Sergio R. Domingos, Pedro Silva, Manuela Ramos Silva, "Tension On and Off in Atwood's Machine:, The Advantage of Video Analysis", TPT, Vol. 62, #1, Jan. 2024, p. 32.
  • Abdallah El Idrissi, Dominic Calabrese, and Tyler Hickox, "Dynamics of a Spool-Block Atwood System", TPT, Vol. 58, #3, Mar. 2020, p. 173. 
  • Mariusz Tarnopolski, "On Atwood's Machine with a Nonzero Mass String", TPT, Vol. 53, #8, Nov. 2015, p. 494.
  • Martín Monteiro, Cecilia Stari, Cecilia Cabeza, and Arturo C. Marti, "The Atwood Machine Revisited Using Smartphones", TPT, Vol. 53, #6, Sept. 2015, p. 373.
  • Joshua Gates, "Experimentally Building a Qualitative Understanding of Newton's Second Law", TPT, Vol. 52, #9, Dec. 2014, p. 542.
  • Eric C. Martell and Verda Beth Martell, "The Effect of Friction in Pulleys on the Tension in Cables and Strings", TPT, Vol. 51, #2, Feb. 2013, p. 98.
  • Paul Beeken, "Atwood's Heavy Chain", TPT, Vol. 49, #8, Nov. 2011, p. 470.
  • David Byrd, Gary White, "Alternative Theoretical Method of Motion fo a Sand-Filled Funnel Experiment, TPT, Vol. 39, # 8, Nov. 2001, p. 464.
  • Gordon O. Johnson, "Making Atwood's Machine 'Work'", TPT, Vol. 39, #3, Mar. 2001, p. 154.
  • Peter Sullivan, Anna McLoon, "Motion of a Sand-Filled Funnel: An Experiment and Model, TPT, Vol. 38, # 8, Nov. 2000, p. 500.
  • Joseph O. West, "Correction: 'The Atwood Machine: Two Special Cases'", TPT, Vol. 37, #5, May 1999, p. 262.
  • Joseph O. West and Barry N. Weliver, "The Atwood Machine: Two Special Cases", TPT, Vol. 37, #2, Feb. 1999, p. 83.
  • Michael C. LoPresto, "Another Look at Atwood's Machine", TPT, Vol. 37, #2, Feb. 1999, p. 82.
  • Raymond E. Benenson, "Weighting an Accelerating Kilogram-Mass with a Spring Scale", TPT, Vol. 32, #5, May 1994, p. 284.
  • James N. Boyd, "Power and Efficiency", TPT, Vol. 29, #7, Oct. 1991, p. 457.
  • Albert Bartlett, "Calculate the Tension in the Rope", TPT, Vol. 27, #5, May 1989, p. 416.
  • J. Sherfinski, "Acceleration from The Energy Function Derivative", TPT, Vol. 26, #4, Apr. 1988, p. 228.
  • Walter Connolly, "Atwood's Machine Using Moment of Inertia Pulley", TPT, Vol. 25, #8, Nov. 1987, p. 514.
  • James N. Boyd, "A Variable Acceleration", TPT, Vol. 23, #5, May 1985, p. 292.
  • E. Scott Barr, "More on Atwood", TPT, Vol. 23, #4, Apr. 1985, p. 198.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "Atwood's Machine", TPT, Vol. 23, #1, Jan. 1985, p. 24.
  • Robert Weinstock, "Letters: Wrong Address", TPT, Vol. 12, #7, Oct. 1974, p. 388.
  • Jon Ogborn, "Letters: Origin of the Atwood Machine", TPT, Vol. 12, #4, Apr. 1974, p. 247.
  • J. J. White and L. A. Pace, "Notes: The Atwood Machine: A Fun Problem for Beginners", TPT, Vol 11, #9, Dec. 1973, p. 539.
  • José Flores, Guillermo Solovey, and Salvador Gil, "Flow of Sand and a Variable Mass Atwood Machine", AJP, Vol. 71, #7, July 2003, p. 715.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "'Atwood's' Oscillator", AJP, Vol. 56, #12, Dec. 1988, p. 1151.
  • N. Tufillaro, A. Nunes, and J. Casasayas, "Unbounded Orbits of a Swinging Atwood's Machine", AJP, Vol. 56, #12, Dec. 1988, p. 1117.
  • A. N. Chaba, "Analytical Approximations to n!", AJP, Vol. 55, #8, Aug. 1987, p. 754.
  • Michael Svonavec, "Accelerated Motion with a Variable Weight", AJP, Vol. 55, #8, Aug. 1987, p. 753.
  • Ronald Newburgh, Joseph Peidle, and Wolfgang Rueckner, "When Equal Masses Don't Balance", Physics Education, Vol. 39, #3, May 2004, p. 289.
  • "M-278. Atwood's Machine", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook, 1993.
  • Richard Manliffe Sutton, M-112, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Richard Manliffe Sutton, M-111, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Richard Manliffe Sutton, M-110, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Robert Ehrlich, "High Friction Atwood's Machine", Why Toast Lands Jelly-Side Down, p. 58 - 60.
  • Joseph Frick, "#115 - Free Fall", Physical Technics: Or, Practical Instructions for Making Experiments in Physics and the Construction of Physical Apparatus with the Most Limited Means", p. 135.


Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.