AP PHYSICS C

Center of Mass

Background

We will first consider a simple system of two particles in one dimension. If two point masses,
m1 and m2, have coordinates x1 and x2, then the center of mass coordinate xcm is given by:

Mxcm = m1 x1 + m2 x 2
where M = m1 + m2, the total mass of the system. For two particles, the center of mass lies at
some point on the line between the particles.
†

If the particles have equal masses, the center of mass is midway between them. If the particles
have unequal mass, the center of mass is closer to the more massive particle.
 If we choose the position of m1 to be the origin, x2 is the distance d between the particles and the
center of mass is given by:

Mxcm = m1 x1 + m 2 x 2 = m1 (0) + m2 d

m2 m2
x cm = d= d
M m1 + m 2
†

We can the generalize from two particles in one dimension to a system of many particles in three
dimensions. For N particles:
†
Mxcm = m1 x1 + m 2 x2 + ... = Â m i x i
i

where M = Â mi is the total mass of the system. Similarly,

Mycm = Â m†i yi and Mzcm = Â mi zi

† r r r
r
In vector notation, ri = xi i + yi j + zi k is the position vector of the ith particle.
† †
The position vector of the center of mass, rcm, is defined by:

r r
† Mrcm = Â mi ri
i

To find the center of mass of a continuous object, we replace the sum in equation 8-4 with the
integral:
†
r r
Mrcm = Ú r dm

where dm is an element of mass located at position r.

†
Example 1:
Find the center of mass of a water molecule.

Example 2:
Find the center of mass of the uniform sheet of plywood in the diagram.
Finding the Center of Mass by Integration

Uniform Stick

This problem illustrates the technique for setting up an integration. First choose a coordinate
system with the x axis along the stick and one of the stick at the origin.

Let the mass per unit length of the stick be l. Since the stick is uniform, l = M/L.

In the diagram, a mass element dm is indicated of length dx at a distance x from the origin.

The mass of an element of length dx is:

dx M
dm = M = dx = ldx
L L
L
lx 2 L
Mxcm = Ú x dm = Ú xl dx = 0
0 2
†

†
 M
Using l= ,
L

lL2 M Ê L2 ˆ 1
x cm = = Á ˜= L
† 2M L Ë 2M ¯ 2

Semicircular loop
†
The calculation for determining the center of mass of a semicircular loop is simplest with the
origin at the center of curvature and the y axis on the hoop’s line of symmetry.

Then xcm = 0 because of symmetry. But ycm > 0, since all of the mass is at positive values of y.

The mass element is indicated by ds = Rdq .

†
 M
Since the total length of the hoop is pR , the mass per unit length is l = where M is the
pR
total mass. The mass of the element is:

dm = l ds = lR dq
†
†
The y coordinate of the mass element is related to the angle Q by y = Rsin Q. The angle Q varies
from 0 to p. We thus have:
†
Mycm = Ú y dm = Ú y lds = Ú ylRdq
p p
2
= Ú (R sin q )lR dq = R l Ú sin q dq
0 0

† p
= R 2 l (-cos q ) 0
= 2R 2 l
†M
Using l= ,
pR
†
M 2R
Mycm = 2R 2 and ycm =
pR p
†

† †