A pillar having square cross section of side length L is fixed on a smooth floor. A particle of mass m is connected to a corner A of the pillar using an inextensible string of length 3.5 L. With the string just taut along the line BA, the particle is given a velocity v perpendicular to the string. The particle slides on the smooth floor and the string wraps around the pillar.

(a) Find the time in which the particle will hit the pillar. (b) Find the tension in the string just before the particle hits the pillar. Neglect any energy loss of the particle.

Answer

(a) `t=(4piL)/v`
`(b) T= (2mv^(2))/L`