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The document discusses moments and centers of mass. It defines moment as the product of an object's mass and its distance from a point, which measures the tendency to cause rotation. It explains that the total moment of multiple masses can be calculated by summing the products of each mass and its distance. It also states that to balance an object on a fulcrum, the fulcrum must be placed at the object's center of mass. Several examples are provided to demonstrate calculating centers of mass for discrete masses and continuous 2D regions.

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24 views11 pages

33 Post Notes

The document discusses moments and centers of mass. It defines moment as the product of an object's mass and its distance from a point, which measures the tendency to cause rotation. It explains that the total moment of multiple masses can be calculated by summing the products of each mass and its distance. It also states that to balance an object on a fulcrum, the fulcrum must be placed at the object's center of mass. Several examples are provided to demonstrate calculating centers of mass for discrete masses and continuous 2D regions.

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raw.junk
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© © All Rights Reserved
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June 03, 2013

Moments, Center of Mass

June 03, 2013

June 03, 2013

The moment of a particle with respect to a point is the product of mass (m) of the particle
with its directed distance (x) from a point. This measures the tendency to produce a
rotation about that point.
Total moment (M) for a bunch of masses =

m1

m 2 m3

m4

m5 m6

m7

x1

x2 x3

x4 0

x5 x6

x7

Where does the fulcrum need to be placed to balance?

m1

m 2 m3

m4

m5 m6

m7

x1

x2 x3

x4 0

x5 x6

x7

June 03, 2013

EX 1
John and Mary, weighing 180 lbs and 110 lbs respectively, sit at opposite
ends of a 12-ft teeter-totter with the fulcrum in the middle. Where should
their 50-lb son sit in order for the board to balance?
50

180

110

June 03, 2013

For a continuous mass distribution along the line (like on a wire):

June 03, 2013

EX 2
A straight wire 7 units long has density (x) = 1+x3 at a point x units from one end.
Find the distance from this end to the center of mass.

June 03, 2013

Consider a discrete set of 2-d masses.


How do we find the center of mass (the geometric center) (x,y) ?

m1

m3
m2

June 03, 2013

EX 3
The masses and coordinates of a system of particles are given by the following:
5, (-3,2); 6, (-2,-2); 2, (3,5); 7, (4,3); 1, (7,-1). Find the moments of this system
with respect to the coordinate axes and find the center of mass.

June 03, 2013


Now, consider a continuous 2-d region (a lamina) that has constant (homogeneous)
density everywhere. How do we find the center of mass

(x,y) ?

June 03, 2013


EX 4
Find the centroid of the region bounded by y= x2 and y = x+2.

10

June 03, 2013

11

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