What will happen first?
A block is connected to an identical block through a weightless pulley by a weightless inextensible thread of length . The left block rests on a table at a distance from the edge and the right block is kept at the same level so that the thread doesn't sag. The right block is released.
Will the left block reach the edge first or will the right block hit the wall first?
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1 solution
The pulley exerts a rightward force on the two block system. Hence, the centre of mass of the system is shifted to the right. For this to happen, the left block should reach the edge first.