Conical Pendulum & Funnel
A bead of mass m stays at point P(a, b) on a wire bent in the shape of a parabola y = 4Cx2 and rotating with angular speed (see figure). The value of is (neglect friction):

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Answer: (a)
- In the rotating frame, normal reaction balances and the centrifugal force , so the wire's slope satisfies .
- Slope of the parabola: , so at P it is .
- So the answer is (a) .