CENTER OF GRAVITY

Center of Gravity

NOTE:

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this manual is accurate;
however no labiality is accepted for errors. Should an error be discovered please inform the
company in writing, giving full details. Any experimental results given are for guidance only and
are not guaranteed as exact answers that can be obtained for a given apparatus; due to the
complex variables applicable to most experiments.

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Table of Contents
Page
1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 1

2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................... 2

2.1 Unit Assembly ............................................................................................................ 2

3. SUMMARY OF THEORY ............................................................................................ 3

3.1 Center of Gravity of some Regular Shapes ................................................................. 3

4. EXPERIMENT .............................................................................................................. 6
4.1 Objective ..................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Procedure .................................................................................................................... 6
4.3 Observations ............................................................................................................... 6

APPENDIX A Sample Calculations

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1 INTRODUCTION:

The EES® Center of Gravity is used to determine the center of gravity of a body. The
center of gravity of a body is the point at which its weight is concentrated. This point may
be within or outside the body. This is the point where it balances itself when on knife-
edge support.

In regularly-shaped bodies, the center of gravity is located at its geometric center. In

irregular elongated bodies, it can be located by balancing method. In irregular flat bodies
like a sheet metal or board, it is located by dropping two or more plumb lines from
different points of suspension. The intersection of these plumb lines is the center of
gravity.

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2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

2.1 Unit Assembly:

1. Sample Plate 2. Base Board

3. Plumb line 4. Blocks of different materials

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3 SUMMARY OF THEORY:

Locating the center of gravity of an object is very important in our daily lives. The earth
pulls down on each particle of an object with a gravitational force that we call weight.

Although individual particles throughout an object all contribute weight in this way, the
net effect is as if the total weight of the object were concentrated in a single point - the
object's center of gravity.

In general, determining the center of gravity (cg) is a complicated procedure because the
mass (and weight) may not be uniformly distributed throughout the object. The general
case requires the use of calculus. If the mass is uniformly distributed, the problem is
greatly simplified. If the object has a line (or plane) of symmetry, the cg lies on the line
of symmetry. For a solid block of uniform material, the center of gravity is simply at the
average location of the physical dimensions.

3.1 Center of Gravity of some Regular Shapes:

3.1.1 Circle:

The center of gravity (G) of a circle lies at the center of circle (at the midpoint).
The radius of a circle is measure of its center of gravity.

G =r
r = 74.5 mm
G = 74.5mm

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3.1.2 Trapezium:

The center of gravity of a trapezium with parallel sides ‘a’ and ‘b’ lies at a
distance of

b = 150mm
a = 100mm
h = 150mm
G = 70mm

3.1.3 Triangle:

The center of gravity G of a triangle lies at a point where the three

medians of the triangle intersect.

h = 150mm
G = 50mm

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3.1.4 Semi Circle:

The center of gravity G of a semi circle lies at a distance 4r/3π from its
base measured along the vertical radius.

R = 74.5mm
G = 31.62mm

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4 EXPERIMENT:

4.1 Objective:

To find the Center of Gravity of Regular and Irregular shapes using plumb line

4.2 Procedure:

1. You have received different shapes of materials. The shapes of regular object,
irregular object and letter were cut out from the acrylic pieces.
2. Small holes at non-collinear points were punched on each sample.
3. The sample need to be suspended on the board supplied with the apparatus at
the suspending pin at the top center of the body
4. The sample should hang loosely from the support and it should not touch any
surface.
5. A plumb bob was suspended from the support with the cord extending down
in front of the main body and suspending sample.
6. A line need to be drawn on the sample along the path of the cord.
7. The sample has to be removed and suspended again through another hole. The
line has to be drawn again.
8. The intersection of the two lines was marked as C (the center of gravity).
9. Repeat the above procedure for the other shapes to get the center of gravity.

4.3 Observations:

In all the cut-out shapes of the objects, it can be observed that all the lines drawn
intersect at a common point which is denoted as G. In addition to that, the greater
the number of holes tested, the greater the accuracy of getting the point of the
intersection of the lines. Moreover, whatever the positions of the holes, it always
comes out to a common point.

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APPENDIX A
Sample Calculations

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EXPERIMENT

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