Solution:

When spheres A and C are at the minimum distance, all the

spheres will move with the same angular velocity ω around the
center of mass.

L = Icm · ω
Icm ω 2
E=
2

From these two equations we get :

L2 = 2EIcm

Substituting equations (1), (2), and (3), we obtain.

mv 2 m
m2 · l2 · v 2 = 2 · · · (2l2 + d2 )
3 3
4l2 2d2
l2 = + 2
9 l
r
5
d=l
2