A bob of mass 0.1 kg hung from the ceiling of a room by a string 2 m long is set into oscillation. The speed of the bob at its mean position is 1 ms-1. What is the trajectory of the bob if the string is cut when the bob is (a) at one of its extreme positions, (b) at its mean position?
(a) At the extreme position, the speed of the bob is zero. If the string is cut, it will fall vertically downwards. (b) At the mean position, the bob has a horizontal velocity. If the string is cut, it will fall along a parabolic path.
