Students make a small elevator machine with 5 kg and 10 kg masses on either side how fast will the masses accelerate once they are released?

The acceleration of the elevator machine is, a = 3 m/s²                

Explanation:

Given data,

The mass on the one end, m = 5 kg

The mass on the other end, M = 10 kg

According to the Atwood's machine

                    Ma = Mg - T

                     ma = T - mg

Adding those equations,

                   a (M + m) = g ( M - m)

                       a = (M + m) / ( M - m)

Substituting the values,

                       a = (10 + 5) / (10 - 5)

                          = 3 m/s²

The acceleration of the elevator machine is, a = 3 m/s²