CENTER OF MASS

AIM OF THE CHAPTER: KEYWORDS

To learn about; Center of mass
1. Mass Center of gravity
2. Weight Point Particle
3. Center of mass
4. Coordinate method

CENTER OF MASS OR CENTER OF GRAVITIY

MASS: Amount of substance contained in a body is called mass. Letter m is
used for describing the mass of the object and SI unit for mass is kg. Mass is a
scalar quantity and is formed of the total number of molecles or atoms in a body.
The mass of the body is constant and it has the same value everywhere.

WEIGHT: The weight of the object is the gravitational force acting on the
object. Weight is a vectoral quantitiy and it is always directed to the center of the
earth. The magnitude of weight, however, depends where it is measured. An
object of 1 kg of mass weighs 9.78N on the Equator and 9.83 on the north and
south poles of the earth. The same object has a weight of 9.79 N in ankara and
9.83 in istanbul. Weight of an object can be calculated from the following formula
W=m.g
where
W= Weight of the object=Newton (N)
m= Mass of the object=kilogram (kg)
g= Gravitational acceleration = m/sec2

CENTER OF MASS:
The center of mass is the location where all of the mass of the system
could be considered to be located. For a solid body it is often possible to replace
the entire mass of the body with a point mass equal to that of the body's mass.
This point mass is located at the center of mass.
When we throw a ball, we expect it to follow a smooth, parabolic
trajectory as we will discuss with projectile motion.

When we throw a baseball bat, however, its path or trajector does not
seem smooth at all. While the bat rotates around the center of mass, the

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 center of mass itself is following the same smooth, parabolic path that we
expect for a smaller, simpler object, like a baseball.

The center of mass itself follows the same smooth path that we expect for
a smaller, simpler object, like a "point particle".

How can we locate the Center of Mass in an extended object?

We can suspend it. The Center of Mass will always be directly under the
point of support.
Then we can suspend it from some other point and know that the
Center of Mass will always be directly under this point of support as well.

Remember that we can think of any object as a rigid, massless shell

with all its mass concentrated at the Center of Mass. For a "compound
object", the Center of Mass is, indeed, the average position of the mass
and we can calculate its position by

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Find the center of the mass of the system if two weights W 1 = 60 N and W2 = 40
N are placed as shown in the figure.

5
4 W2=40N
3
2 W1=60N
1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Calculate the center of gravity of the following system.

5 3m
2m 2m
4
3
2
m
1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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 Find the center of mass of the three equal weights placed at one corner of an
equilateral triangle of side a.

a a
h

a/2 a/2

Center of mass of some certain geometrical objects can be described as follows:

FIGURE POSITION OF CM

Squares and Rectangulars: Point of

intersection of the diagonals.

Regular polygon, circular plate and

hoop: At the geometrical center of the
figure.

Cylinder and sphere: At the geometrical

center of the figure.

Pyramid and cone: On the line joining

vertex with center of base and at of the
length measured from the base.
CM CM

Triangular plate: Point of intersection of

2h/3 the three medians.
CM h
h/3

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 1 - If the weight of the object is not given in the problem:
a) for 1-Dimensional objects such as wire, hoop we are going to use its l
ength as its weight.
L
r
L/2 L/2
W=L W = 2r

b) for 2-Dimensional objects such as metal square, triangular,

rectangular plate we are going to use their areas as their weight.
a a
CM CM
b a
CM

W= a .b W= a .a
W= base area .height / 2
c) for 3-Dimensional objects such as metal cylinder, cube or a sphere we
are going to use their volumes as their Weights

r a
a
r
a

r 2h 4 W=a3
W W r3
2 3

2- It is extremely useful to use parallel forces to solve center of mass

problems. If a certain geometrical object added to the system take the parallel
force downward, if it is extracted take the parallel force in upward direction.

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 A square and a circle are
placed as shown. Find the
center of the mass of the
system. (=3)
a 10 cm
a/2
a 4 cm
A sphere of mass m1=10 kg
and radius of R1= 20 cm is in
contact with another sphere of
m2=5 kg radius of R2. Find R2 if the CM
of the system is at the point of contact.
(=3)
m2
m1
CM
R1
R2
Rectangular plate 4cm by 10
cm is given. Find the center of
mass of the system if we add another
circular plate with a radius of 2 cm as
shown. (=3)
r =2 cm
For the previous question find
the center of the mass if we
extract the circular plate with
the same radius. (=3)
10 cm
r =2 cm
4 cm
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