How to use the atwood machine calculator
Find acceleration and rope tension for two masses hanging over a frictionless pulley. Enter heavier mass, lighter mass in the fields above; the acceleration, rope tension are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “two masses over pulley”, “atwood”, “hanging weights acceleration”, “calculate atwood machine”, “find acceleration”.
Formula
Variables
- m1 — Heavier mass (kg)
- m2 — Lighter mass (kg)
Worked example
With heavier mass = 5 kg, lighter mass = 3 kg, the calculator gives acceleration ≈ 2.451662 m/s²; rope tension ≈ 36.77494 N.
Frequently asked questions
What is the atwood machine calculator used for?
Find acceleration and rope tension for two masses hanging over a frictionless pulley. It helps with questions such as “two masses over pulley”, “atwood”, “hanging weights acceleration”.
What is the formula for the atwood machine calculation?
Acceleration (m/s²) = (m1-m2) × GRAV / (m1+m2). Rope tension (N) = 2 × m1 × m2 × GRAV / (m1+m2). Here m1 is heavier mass (kg), m2 is lighter mass (kg).
What inputs do I need for the atwood machine calculator?
You need heavier mass in kg, lighter mass in kg. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the atwood machine calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the atwood machine result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.