Question

A shell fired from a gun at an angle to the horizontal, explodes in mid air. The center of mass of the shell fragments will move

• A. vertically down
• B. horizontally
• C. along the same parabolic path along which the 'intact' shell was moving
• D. along the tangent to the parabolic path of the 'intact' shell, at the point of explosion

Answer 1

The correct option is C along the same parabolic path along which the 'intact' shell was moving

During the explosion, there is no external force which acts on the shell components.
So, the movement of the center of mass will not be affected.