Motion of Center of Mass - NEET Physics Questions
Question 1: moderate

Two persons of masses 55 kg and 65 kg are at the opposite ends of a boat. The length of the boat is 3.0 m and its mass is 100 kg. The 55 kg man walks upto the 65 kg man and sits with him. If the boat is in still water, the centre of mass of the system shifts by

1. 0.75 m
2. 2.3 m
3. 3.0 m
4. zero
View Answer

As the boat was initially at rest and no external force acts on it centre of mass will remain at rest.

Question 2: moderate

A boat of length \( 12\text{ m} \) and mass \( 840\text{ kg} \) is floating without motion in still water. A man of mass \( 60\text{ kg} \) standing at one end of it walks to the other end of it and stops. The magnitude of displacement of the boat relative to the ground is:

1. \( 50\text{ cm} \)
2. \( 80\text{ cm} \)
3. \( 120\text{ cm} \)
4. \( 150\text{ cm} \)
View Answer

Since no external horizontal force acts on the boat-man system, the center of mass does not move. The displacement of the boat is \( x = \frac{m L}{m + M} = \frac{60 \times 12}{60 + 840} = 0.8\text{ m} = 80\text{ cm} \).

Question 3: moderate

Two bodies with masses \( m_1 \) and \( m_2 \) (\( m_1 > m_2 \)) are joined by a string passing over a fixed pulley. Assuming masses of the pulley and thread are negligible. Then the acceleration of the centre of mass of the system is:

1. \( \left(\frac{m_1 - m_2}{m_1 + m_2}\right) g \)
2. \( \left(\frac{m_1 - m_2}{m_1 + m_2}\right)^2 g \)
3. \( \frac{m_1 g}{(m_1 + m_2)} \)
4. \( \frac{m_2 g}{(m_1 + m_2)} \)
View Answer

The acceleration of each block is \( a = \left(\frac{m_1 - m_2}{m_1 + m_2}\right) g \). The acceleration of the center of mass is \( a_{\text{cm}} = \frac{m_1 a_1 + m_2 a_2}{m_1 + m_2} = \left(\frac{m_1 - m_2}{m_1 + m_2}\right) a = \left(\frac{m_1 - m_2}{m_1 + m_2}\right)^2 g \).

Question 4: moderate

Two persons of masses $55\text{ kg}$ and $65\text{ kg}$ respectively, are at the opposite ends of a boat. The length of the boat is $3.0\text{ m}$ and weighs $100\text{ kg}$. The $55\text{ kg}$ man walks up to the $65\text{ kg}$ man and sits with him. If the boat is in still water the center of mass of the system shifts by:

(2012 Pre)

1. $3.0\text{ m}$
2. $2.3\text{ m}$
3. Zero
4. $0.75\text{ m}$
View Answer

Since no external horizontal force acts on the system (boat + persons), the position of the centre of mass of the system remains unchanged. Thus, the shift in the centre of mass is zero. Option (c) is correct.

Question 5: moderate

A man of $50\text{ kg}$ mass is standing in a gravity free space at a height of $10\text{ m}$ above the floor. He throws a stone of $0.5\text{ kg}$ mass downwards with a speed $2\text{ m/s}$. When the stone reaches the floor, the distance of the man above the floor will be :

(2010 Pre)

1. $9.9\text{ m}$
2. $10.1\text{ m}$
3. $10\text{ m}$
4. $20\text{ m}$
View Answer

In gravity-free space, no external force acts, so the centre of mass remains at its initial height of $10\text{ m}$. Using COM conservation: $M_m h_m + M_s h_s = (M_m + M_s) Y_{cm} \implies 50(h) + 0.5(0) = (50 + 0.5)(10) \implies h = 10.1\text{ m}$. Option (b) is correct.