Question
A stone tied to the end of a string in a horizontal plane is whirled round in a circle and suddenly the string breaks. Which of the following correctly describes the trajectory of stone after the string breaks:
(a) the stone jerks radially outwards,
(b) the stone flies off tangentially from the instant the string breaks,
(c) the stone flies off at an angle with the tangent whose magnitude depends on the speed of the particle?
Solution
Choice (b) is correct because the necessary centripetal force which is required to revolve in circle stops to act. And as a result of inertia, the stone flies off tangentially.
