Question

Which of the following is a true statement about the acceleration ~a of the pendulum bob

~a is equal to the acceleration due to gravity.
~a is perpendicular to the bob’s trajectory.

~a is equal to the instantaneous rate of change in velocity.
~a is tangent to the bob’s trajectory.

Answer 1

The acceleration (~a) of a pendulum bob is tangent to the bob's trajectory.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement about the acceleration (~a) of a pendulum bob is that ~a is tangent to the bob's trajectory. When a pendulum swings back and forth, the acceleration is always directed towards the equilibrium point, which is the lowest point of the swing. Since the bob's trajectory is along the arc of a circle, the acceleration is perpendicular to the tangent of the arc at any point, making it tangent to the bob's trajectory.

Therefore, The acceleration (~a) of a pendulum bob is tangent to the bob's trajectory.