Two teams of nine members each engage in a tug-of-war, pulling in opposite directions on a horizontal rope. Each of the first team’s members has an average mass of 68 kg and exerts an average force of 1350 N horizontally on the ground as they pull on the rope. Each of the second team’s members has an average mass of 73 kg and exerts an average force of 1365 N horizontally on the ground as they pull on the rope in the opposite direction. (a) What is the magnitude of the acceleration of the two teams, and which team wins? (b) What is the tension in the section of rope between the teams?
OpenStax University Physics Volume 1, 5.6 Common Forces, exercise 7