A mobile consists of 2 very lightweight bars of lengths l = 0.650 m (blue) connected to each other and the cei

Question

A mobile consists of 2 very lightweight bars of lengths l = 0.650 m (blue) connected to each other and the ceiling by vertical strings. You may neglect the mass of the bars and strings in the following. From these bars hang three objects, also suspended by strings. The masses of objects 1 and 3 are: m1 = 6.00 kg and m3 = 3.00 kg. The distance x shown in the drawing is 0.260 m.

What is the mass m2?

Answer 1

So where is the drawing?
Okay let's do it 'in general'.

We have a bottom bar that holds who weight of masses m1 and m2
and one part of the bar #2 supports the bar #1 while the other is counterbalanced with m3. The bar #2 is then hung by a string connected between the bar #1 string and the weight m3 string. Please note that my interpretation will differ from the problem stated, however the principals are the same.

The problem as I have stated can be easily reduced to a bar and who weights.

one is m3 and the other is m1+m2.

so we have
L=0.650 m
m1=6kg
m2= ?
m3= 3kg
x=0.260 and the other side must be L-x=0.390m

Now let's write some equations

x(m1+m2)g=(L-x)m3g
or
xm2=(L-x)m3-xm1
m2=[(L-x)m3-xm1]/x
m2=m3(L-x)/x+m1
m2=3.00(.390)/.260 -6.00
m2=-1.5kg

the minus sign suggests that either I got the wrong picture or the mobile will be unbalanced. The main concept however is sound.

I need the real drawing to give the real answer.

Answer 2

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