Definition.

CENTER OF MASS (CENTROID)

-

Center of gravity

Point at which the force of gravity can be

considered to act and which undergoes no
internal motion

Point at which the total weight of the body may

be thought to be concentrated

Center of mass along a line

Consider several weights

distributed along a ruled line.
5

At what point this

setup BALANCES?

: 1 mass
unit

Notations

Let m be the total mass.

M be the moment of mass
= mass distance
n
x be the coordinate
mi xi
of the center of
M i 1
mass.
x

n
m

mi

i 1

Solution
5

m 33
M 5 0 2 1 4 2 0 3
1 4 3 5 2 6 2 7
4 8 5 9 5 10 182

Solution
5

m 33 M 182
M
182
x

5.
5151
m
33

WHAT IF . . .

Will the center of mass change?

Will the coordinate of the center of
mass change?

Center of mass of a rod

Homogeneous rod
(constant density)

mass: m k L

k :constant linear density

L :length of the rod

Center of mass of a rod

Non-homogeneous rod
(varying density)

mass: m x L

x : linear density at
a point
L :length of the rod

Center of mass of a rod

x
x : linear density at x
total mass: m

x dx

moment of mass: M

x x dx

Example

The length of a rod is 9 meters

and the linear density of the rod
at a point x meters from one end
is 4 x 1 kg/m. Determine the
center of mass of the rod.

x 4 x 1

Solution
m

x dx

4 x 1 dx

171
M

x x dx

x 4 x 1 dx

1012.5
M
1012.5
x

m
171

5.92

m14

m13

m10

m1

m11

m6
m5

m4

m15
m2

m9
m12

x, y

m3
m8

m7

Center of mass of a plane region

Assumptions:
the region is a
lamina
constant area
density

Center of mass of a plane region

Effects:
density is negligible
the center of mass is a
function of area and
distances
Centroid of a plane region
~ center of mass of lamina

Formulation

Consider a region bounded by

y f x and y g x ,a x b .
Assume a constant
density .

Formulation

Total mass: M A
Moments of mass:

M x : moment with respect to x-axis

directed distance from x A axis

M y : moment with respect to y-axis

directed distance from y A axis

Formulation

Center of mass:

My
M

x ,y
Mx
y
M

Formulation

f x gx

dx
MA

f x g x dx

Formulation

f x gx
2

f x gx

dx

Mx

directed distance from x A axis

b f x g x

f x g x dx

Formulation

f x gx

x
dx
My

directed distance from y A axis

x f x g x dx

CENTER OF MASS of the plane region

x, y
where

My
M

Mx
y
M

y f x

xb

xa

TOTAL MASS:

b
a

f x dx Area

y f x

x
xb

xa

Moment of mass
wrt y-axis:

My

b
a

x f x dx

y f x

f x
2

xa

Moment of mass
wrt x-axis:

xb
1
Mx
2

b
a

f x dx
2

Example 1.

y Arc tan x

1,
4

x 1

Arc tan x dx
0

y Arc tan x

x
x 1

My

1
0

x Arc tan x dx

y Arc tan x

Arc tan x
2

x 1

Mx

Arc tan x
2

Arc tan x dx

So, the centroid is at

x, y where

My

Mx
y
M

M
1

x Arc tan x dx

0
1

Arc tan x dx
0

1
2

Arc tan x

0
1

Arc tan x dx
0

dx

Example 2.
ye

1, e
ye

e e dx

0
1

M
x

ye

1, e
ye

My

1
0

e e

dx

ye

1, e
ye
ee
2

Mx

ee
2

e
dx

So, the centroid is at

My

Mx
y
M

M
1

x ee

x, y where

ee

dx

dx

1
2

e 2 e 2 x dx

e e dx

0
1

Example 3.
e

1
2

ye

y ln x

x 1

x2

ln x dx

My

ln x dx

e x ln x
2

Mx

e x ln x
2

e ln x dx
x

So, the centroid is at

My

Mx
y
M

M
2

x, y where

x e ln x dx

ln x dx

1
2

e2 x ln 2 x dx

1
2

ln x dx

Example 4.
ye
ye

y2

log 2 y ln y dy

ye
ye

y2

My

log 2 y ln y
2

log

y ln y dy

ye
ye

y2

Mx

log 2 y ln y dy

 x, y where

So, the centroid is at

My
M

1
2

log y 2 ln x 2 dy
2

log 2 y ln y dy

Mx
y

y log 2 y ln y dy

1
e

log 2 y ln y dy

Example 5.
y 25 x

x0

25 x dx
2

y 25 x 2

25 x
2

Mx

25 x
2

25 x dx
2

So, the centroid is at

x, y where

x0

Mx
y
M

1
2

25 x dx

25 x dx
2