Frank Says That If You Release the String When Swinging

question 30

Multiple Choice

Frank says that if you release the string when swinging a ball in a horizontal circle, the ball flies out in the radial direction defined by the string at the instant you release the ball. John says that it flies out along a tangent line perpendicular to the string, and that it then drops straight down to the ground. Which one, if either, is correct?

• A) Frank, because the centrifugal force is no longer counteracted by the string.
• B) Frank, because balls naturally fly straight out.
• C) John, because there is no centrifugal force.
• D) John, because balls fall straight down when released.
• E) Neither, because although there is no centrifugal force, and the ball's velocity is tangent to the circle at the instant of release, the ball then follows a parabolic trajectory.

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Definitions:

Multiply

The operation of repeated addition of the same number.

Imaginary Unit

A mathematical concept, denoted as 'i', defined as the square root of -1 and used to extend the real numbers to complex numbers.

Standard Form

A way of writing numbers, particularly equations, in a specific and universally acknowledged structure, such as Ax + By = C for linear equations.

Imaginary Unit

A mathematical constant represented by \(i\), defined as the square root of -1, which is the basis for complex numbers.