Special Problems in Mechanics

　　The “special problems” we will address in this chapter deal with four common mechanical systems: pulleys, inclined planes, springs, and pendulums. These systems pop up on many mechanics problems on SAT II Physics, and it will save you time and points if you familiarize yourself with their quirks. These systems obey the same mechanical rules as the rest of the world, and we will only introduce one principle (Hooke’s Law) that hasn’t been covered in the previous three chapters. However, there are a number of problem-solving techniques that are particular to these sorts of problems, and mastering them will help you get through these problems quickly and easily.