Center of Mass
What is centre of mass?
The center of mass is the point in an object or system where the mass seems to be concentrated.
How is centre of mass calculated?
The center of mass is calculated by taking the weighted average of the positions of all the particles in an object or system using mass of each particle as weights.
Can the centre of mass be outside an object?
Yes, the center of mass can lie outside the object. As in the case of a uniform-density ring center of mass is at the center of the inner circle of the ring.
Does the centre of mass change when an object is in motion?
The position of the center of mass may change when an object is in motion if the distribution of mass within the object changes with motion.
What happens when centre of mass is outside an object’s base of support?
When the center of mass is outside an object’s base of support, the object becomes unstable and may tip over or fall. This is why a tall object like a tower must have its center of mass closer to the ground to maintain stability.
Can an object have multiple centres of mass?
No, an object can have only one center of mass. However, a system of objects can have a center of mass that is different from any of the individual objects.
Centre of Mass
Centre of Mass is the point of anybody where all the mass of the body is concentrated. For the sake of convenience in Newtonian Physics, we take the body as the point object where all its mass is concentrated at the centre of mass of the body. The centre of mass of the body is a point that can be on the body such as in the case of a Circular sheet, rectangle sheet, sphere, etc, and can also be outside the body such as in the case of a ring, hollow sphere, etc.
In this article, we’ll explore the basic fundamentals of the centre of mass, including its definition, methods, and formula to calculate it. We’ll also discuss some real-world examples of the centre of mass to help you see its practical applications. So, let’s start learning about the fascinating world of the centre of mass and its role in the physics of motion.