A ball is being twirled in a circle. If the string breaks and we IGNORE gravity, what path will the ball follow after the string breaks?
1. It will slow down and move in a straight line.
2. It will slow down and move in a circle.
3. It will speed up and move in a circle.
4. It will continue moving at the same speed in a straight line.
5. It will fall to the ground due to gravity.
6. It will continue moving at the same speed in a circle.
I believe the answer is 4 or 6
If the string breaks and gravity is ignored, the ball will follow a path in accordance with Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia. This law states that an object in motion will continue in a straight line at a constant speed unless acted upon by an external force.
In this scenario, the ball was originally moving in a circle because of the tension in the string providing the centripetal force. However, once the string breaks, there is no longer any force acting to keep the ball moving in a curved path. As a result, the ball will move in a straight line tangent to its previous circular path at the moment the string breaks.
Therefore, the correct answer is 1. It will slow down and move in a straight line.