I guess I agree with Leigh on this one. It is not that it
is not perfectly obvious what is going on in this case.
The problem comes when you look at a slightly different
problem and have to decide whether the "axes" are bending
over or not! I tell the students that if they will start
with free-body diagrams for both bodies they will be able
to get the tension in the string, AND that I intend to ask
for the tension on the test. WBN
Barlow Newbolt
Department of Physics and Engineering
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA 24450
Young man if I could remember the names of all of
these particles I would have become a botanist
Enrico Fermi
Telephone and Phone Mail: 540-463-8881
Fax: 540-463-8884
e-mail: NewboltW@madison.acad.wlu.edu