Question

Why are there two tension values in my system?
I had a $500g$ mass and a $200g$ mass connected by a string over a frictionless pulley. The $200g$ mass was on the ground while the $500g$ mass was held in the air until it was released. Upon calculation, it seems as though the force of tension (Ft) was greater on the $500g$mass than the $200g$ mass. Why?

Answer 1

The problem at hand is an example of linked motion in which two bodies of different masses are connected at the ends of a string and the string passes over a light and frictionless pulley. Using Newton's second law $F = ma$ , we can find the tension using this formula.

Complete step by step solution:
This formula can be used to compute tension using Newton's 2nd Law, $F = ma$. Because $500g$is heavier than $200g$ the tension on the heavier object will be greater.
Because they are connected to a pulley, the system has two tensions. Because of the two different masses on each side, each rope might have a different amount of stress.
As a result, the string's tension equals the object's weight. We can increase the object's tension by increasing its mass (and thus its weight).
To relate the motion of the object to the forces involved, we apply Newton's second law. To be more explicit, we are able to:
Make a diagram of the forces acting on the object in question.
For a direction in which the tension is oriented, write down Newton's second law $F = ma$
Using Newton's second law equation $F = ma$, get the tension.
If you picked up the string at the end and hung the mass in a gravitational field (g), the string tension would increase to the point where the tension exactly counteracted the mass's weight (mg). The product of the mass and the acceleration is the tension.

Note:
All physical things that come into contact with one another can exert forces on one another. We term the force tension if one of the things applying the force is a rope, string, chain, or cable.There would be no tension on a string if it had a mass (m) at the end of it lying on a table