A bob hung from the ceiling of a room by a string is set into oscillation. What is the trajectory of

Question

A bob hung from the ceiling of a room by a string is set into oscillation. What is the trajectory of the bob if the string is cut when the bob is exactly at its mean position?

Professor PC Thomas Classes · Answer

At the mean position, the bob has a horizontal velocity. When the string is cut, it behaves like a projectile launched horizontally under gravity, so its trajectory is parabolic.