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UPSC 2004: A person stands at the middle point of a wooden ladder which starts slipping between a vertical wall and the floor of a room, while plane. The path traced by a person standing at the middle point of the slipping ladder is
(a)A straight line
(b)An elliptical path
(c)A circular path
(d)A parabolic path
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Not attemptedCorrect Answer: (c) A circular path
Let the ladder of length L have ends (x,0) on the floor and (0,y) on the wall: x²+y²=L². The midpoint coordinates are (x/2, y/2); substituting yields (x/2)²+(y/2)²=(L/2)², the equation of a circle of radius L⁄2 centred at the floor–wall corner. Thus the midpoint traces a circular arc, making option (c) correct; the path is not a straight line, ellipse or parabola. ([commons.wikimedia.org](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ASliding_ladder_in_astroid.svg?utm_source=openai))
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct answer to this UPSC 2004 Science & Technology question?▼
The correct answer is option (c): A circular path. Watch the detailed video explanation in our Sherlocking Prelims course on UnlockIAS.
Which year was this Physics question asked in UPSC Prelims?▼
This question was asked in UPSC CSE Prelims 2004, GS Paper 1, as Question 150. It falls under Science & Technology > Physics.
What is the difficulty level of this UPSC question?▼
This question is rated "moderate". It requires sound conceptual understanding of the topic.
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Physics?▼
UPSC has asked 104 questions from Physics (under Science & Technology) across multiple years. Visit the topic page to see the full list and year-wise trends.