A body is falling vertically downwards under gravity breaks in two parts of unequal masses. The centre of mass of the two parts taken together
Answers
Answer:
Since the velocity is in the downwards direction the motion of the COM will also be in that particular direction.
As the horizontal component of force is zero so COM will not move horizontally.
Answer:
The centre of mass of the two parts taken together doesn't shifts horizontally.
Explanation:
The two parts at the end of the question have been assumed in a system. So, taking the same idea further, if we assume that the body doesn't breaks into two parts, then its obvious that it would have fallen straight vertically under the influence of the gravity as an external force.
Now, if the body breaks into forces, we know that it is surely due to the internal forces of the body that it broke. And, we know that internal forces of the particles have nothing to do with their centre of mass in a path.
Hence, the gravity will keep on working as it would have worked even if the body would not have broke and won't shift horizontally.
Hope it helps! ;-))