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Tension Force Diagram

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About This MicroSim

This simulation illustrates how tension forces are transmitted through a rope connecting two objects. The key insight is that for a massless, inextensible rope, tension is uniform throughout its length.

Key Concepts

  • Tension pulls equally on both ends: The rope exerts the same force on both connected objects
  • Uniform tension: For a massless rope, you can "cut" it anywhere and find the same tension value
  • Action-reaction pairs: At any point in the rope, tension forces form an action-reaction pair
  • Massless rope assumption: Simplifies analysis by making tension constant throughout

Controls

  • Applied Force: Changes the external force pulling on Block A
  • Friction: Adjusts the friction force opposing Block B's motion
  • Show rope cuts: Visualizes the action-reaction tension pairs at imaginary cut points
  • Animate forces: Adds subtle animation to highlight force directions