Question

A cart of mass M is tied by one end of a massless rope of length 10 m. The other end of the rope is in the hands of a man of mass M. The entire system is on a smooth horizontal surface. The man is at x = 0 and the cart at x = 10 m. If the man pulls the cart by the rope, the man and the cart will meet at the point

• A. $x = 0$
• B. $x = 5 m$
• C. $x = 10 m$
• D. They will never meet

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

$x = 5 m$

Answer 2

In the absence of external force, position of centre of mass remain same therefore they will meet at their centre of mass.