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Consider a lamina of varying composition (for example a thin sheet of metal) in the x y plane with density (x, y ) at the point (x, y ). Then
Mass() = M =
(x, y )dA.
x =
y (x, y )dA Mx = M M
x (x, y )dA is called the rst moment of the lamina about the y axis. y (x, y )dA is called the rst moment of the lamina about the x axis.
If the density is uniform with (x, y ) = 1 then the centre of mass is referred to as a centroid. Note that the mass is then Mass() = M =
1dA = Area().
mass , however since the lamina is assumed to have negligible volume mass dm . Thus (x, y ) = implying that thickness we can say that density = area dA Generally density = dm = (x, y )dA. Integrating to obtain the total mass we have Mass() = M =
When calculating x =
all the x s in with the values of x of higher density making a greater contribution to the x coordinate of the center of mass. Similarly for y .
Other formulae of interest are: Moments of Inertia The moments of inertia of the above lamina about the x and y axes are Ix = Iy = y 2 (x, y )dA x2 (x, y )dA.
Moments of inertia measure an objects resistance to spinning about a particular axis. A spinning ice skater with her arms out has a larger moment of inertia about the vertical axis than one with her arms tucked into her body. Example 1 A thin plate is the region in the rst quadrant bounded by the coordinate axes and x + y = 1. Find the mass M and centre of mass ( x, y ) of the plate assuming a) uniform density (x, y ) = 1. b) non uniform density given by (x, y ) = xy .
1 1 a) 2 , (1 , 1 ) b) 24 , (2 , 2) 3 3 5 5
Example 2 Find the mass, centre of mass and the moment of inertia about the y -axis of a thin plate bounded by the curves y = x2 and y = 2x x2 with variable density given by (x, y ) = x + 1.
1 M=2 , Mx =
4 , 15
My =
4 , 15
8 8 ( x, y ) = ( 15 ), Iy = 15
1 6
Example 3 Find the mass and the centre of mass of a lamina bounded by y = and the x axis assuming: a) uniform density (x, y ) = 1. b) variable density given by (x, y ) = y . c) variable density given by (x, y ) = r.
1 x2