Answer
a. Accelerations, greatest to least: A, B, C.
b. Tension in the rope connected to the single box on the right, greatest to least: B, C.
Work Step by Step
a. If the systems are considered to be the boxes, then the net force on each system is the same. The smaller the mass of the system, the greater its acceleration.
b. By Newton's second law, the tension in the rope attached to the single box, since there is no friction, equals the box mass multiplied by its acceleration.
The acceleration of the box in system B is greater than that of the box in system C, so the tension in that corresponding rope is greater.
