What type of path will a pendulum take after its string breaks at the halfway point?

What type of path will a pendulum take after its string breaks at the halfway point?

• A. A straight line upwards.
• B. A straight line downwards.
• C. A circular path.
• D. A parabolic path.

Answer: (D)

When the string of a pendulum breaks, the bob of the pendulum will no longer be constrained to move along the circular arc that it was following. Instead, it becomes a free object influenced only by the forces acting on it, primarily gravity. Initially, at the moment the string breaks, the bob will have both vertical and horizontal components of velocity. If we consider the motion after the break, the bob will begin to fall under the influence of gravity while simultaneously moving horizontally based on its last velocity before the string broke. This combination of horizontal motion due to the inertia of the bob and vertical motion due to gravity creates a parabolic path. In simpler terms, the bob follows a trajectory that resembles a projectile's path; as it moves forward horizontally while simultaneously descending vertically, it describes a parabolic shape. This outcome aligns with the principles of projectile motion, where an object moves forward due to its initial velocity and downward due to gravitational attraction.

When the string of a pendulum breaks, the bob of the pendulum will no longer be constrained to move along the circular arc that it was following. Instead, it becomes a free object influenced only by the forces acting on it, primarily gravity.

Initially, at the moment the string breaks, the bob will have both vertical and horizontal components of velocity. If we consider the motion after the break, the bob will begin to fall under the influence of gravity while simultaneously moving horizontally based on its last velocity before the string broke. This combination of horizontal motion due to the inertia of the bob and vertical motion due to gravity creates a parabolic path.

In simpler terms, the bob follows a trajectory that resembles a projectile's path; as it moves forward horizontally while simultaneously descending vertically, it describes a parabolic shape. This outcome aligns with the principles of projectile motion, where an object moves forward due to its initial velocity and downward due to gravitational attraction.