Teach: Newton's second law

AimstextConsiderationsI teach students a short cut way of applying the law which avoids the necessity to be rigorous with the sign of the vectors. It also highlights a difference between physics and maths. For this example:Strictly speaking the sum of the forces = ma-Mg + T = -Ma-mg + T = maI say, let"s look at the direction of acceleration. We know a is down on the left so Mg > T, this means:

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