When a piece of stone tied to a thread is rotated on a horizontal circular path, then velocity of the piece of stone at a point will act along :

Correct option is B

(b) Tangential to the circular path at that point

Sol. When an object moves in a circular path, its velocity at any given point is always tangential to the circular path at that point. This is because the velocity is perpendicular to the centripetal force, which acts toward the center of the circle. If the thread breaks, the stone moves in a straight line along the tangent due to Newton’s First Law of Motion (Inertia of Motion).

Information Booster:

• Centripetal force acts towards the center and keeps the object in a circular motion.
• The tangential velocity at any instant is perpendicular to the radius at that point.
• Angular velocity (ω) is related to tangential velocity (v) as v = rω.
• If the force stops acting, the object moves tangentially due to inertia.
• The phenomenon is described by Newton’s First Law of Motion.
• Examples: Water droplets flying off a rotating umbrella, mud splattering off a rotating wheel.