A cart of mass M is at rest on a frictionless horizontal surface and a pendulum bob of mass m hangs from the roof of the cart (figure 9-E6). The string breaks, the bob falls on the floor, makes several collisions on the fly and finally lands up in a small slot made in the floor. The horizontal distance between the string and the slot is L. Find the displacement of the cart during this process.


Consider origin of 1-D coordinate system (horizontal) to be at the small slot made in the floor.

Initially, position of centre of mass of the system



Finally, position of centre of mass of the system = 0


Shift in centre of mass of the system



The displacement of cart in this process is towards the right.


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