A bob of mass 0.1 kg hung from the ceilling of a room by a string 2 m long is set into osillation The speed of the bob at its mean position ` 1 m//s ` What is the trajectory of the bob if the string is cut when the bob is (a) at one of its extreme position (b) at is mean position ?

Explanation

(a) We shall study in unit 10 that at each extreme position velocity of the bob is zero If the string isc cut at the extreme position bob is only under the action of g Hence the bob will fall vertically downwards
(b) At the mean position velocity of the bob is `1 ms^(-1)` along the tangent to the arc which is in the horizontal direction If the string is cut at mean position the bob will behave as a horizontal projectile Hence it will follow a parabolic path .