question_answer

A long rope is hanging, passing over a pulley. Two monkeys of equal weights climb up from the opposite ends of the rope. One of them climbs up more rapidly relative to rope. Which monkey will reach first at the top? The pulley is frictionless and the rope is massless and inextensible.

Answer:

                There is no external force which may provide momentum to any monkey. The monkeys themselves give equal momenta to each other (through the rope). Therefore, two monkeys will climb up the rope at the same rate relative to the earth. As their masses are equal, they will reach the top simultaneously.