Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2007/ia/paper-4/12c/i/solution

For constant particle masses define the centre of mass by , with . Summing Newton's second law over all particles gives
Each pair of internal forces cancels by Newton's third law. Hence
Only the action-reaction condition is needed for this translation law; centrality of the internal forces is needed for the angular momentum result in part (ii).

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