3 Ce e f Ma

For uniform bodies:

2
Triangular lamina: along median from vertex
3
r sin
Circular arc, radius r, angle at centre 2 : from centre

2r sin
Sector of circle, radius r, angle at centre 2 : from centre
3

3.1 Ce e f ma fa e f a icle a aigh li e

Suppose there are N particles with masses 1, 2, , N placed on a straight line at 1,

2, , N from a reference point.

N
mi xi N
Centre of mass x = i =1
where M = mi = total mass
M i =1

Ex 3A Q4
A light rod PQ of length 4 m has particles of masses 1 kg, 2 kg and 3 kg attached to it
at the points P, Q and R respectively, where PR = 2 m. The centre of mass of loaded
rod is at the point G. Find the distance PG.

1
Ex 3A Q9
Three particles A, B and C are placed along the -axis. Particle A has mass 5 kg and is
at the point (2, 0). Particle B has mass 1 kg and is at the point (3, 0) and particle C has
mass 2 kg and is at the point (-2, 0). The centre of mass of the three particles is at the
point G (1, 0). Given that the total mass of three particles is 10 kg, find the values of 1

and 2.

2
3.2 Ce e f ma fa e f a icle a a ged i a la e
N N
mi xi mi yi N
Centre of mass x = i =1
and y = i =1
where M = mi = total mass
M M i =1

The position vector of centre of mass r

N
mi ri = M r
i =1

x
Centre of mass can also be represented by a column vector
y

x1 x x x
m1 + m2 2 + ... + mN N = M
y1 y2 yN y

Ex 3B Q4
Find the position vector of the centre of mass of three particles of masses 0.5 kg, 1.5 kg
and 2 kg which are situated at the points with position vectors (6i 3j), (2i + 5j) and
(3i + 2j) respectively.

3
Ex 3B Q6
A light rectangular metal plate PQR has PQ = 4 cm and P = 2 cm. Particles of masses
3 kg, 5 kg, 1 kg and 7 kg are attached respectively to the corners P, Q, R and of the
plate. Find the distance of the centre of mass of the loaded plate form:
(a) the side PQ (b) the side P .

4
3.3 Ce e f ma f a da d if m la e lami a
Uniform laminas:
- mass is distributed evenly
- one dimension is much smaller than other two dimensions (a thin plate)

For symmetric laminas:

Lying on the axis of symmetry
At the intersection of axes of symmetry

Circular disc Rectangular lamina

Triangular lamina (equilateral)

5
Triangular lamina:
2
- along median from vertex
3
x1 + x2 + x3 y1 + y2 + y3
- at the centroid (intersection of medians) ,
3 3

Median:
- from vertex to the mid-point of opposite side
- centroid divides the median in the ratio 2 : 1

2r sin
Sector of circle, radius , angle at centre 2 : from centre
3

6
Ex 3C Q4
Find the position of the centre of mass of the following uniform triangular laminas from
A.

Ex 3C Q8
The diagram below shows an equilateral triangle ABC where AC is 4 cm.

4 3
Show that the centre of mass lies cm from B.
3

7
3.4 Ce e f ma fac m i e lami a
1. Divide the composite lamina into some standard uniform laminas.
2. Find the center of mass of each lamina.
3. Masses ( area) are placed at the centre of mass of each sub-laminas.
4. Solve it like point masses.
5. For removed section, negative mass can be assigned to the missing parts.

Ex 3D Q1
The following diagrams show uniform plane figures. Each one is drawn on a grid of
unit squares. Find, in each case, the coordinates of the centre of mass.

8
9
Ex 3C Q4
The diagram shows a metal template in the shape of a right-angled triangle ABC. The
template is modelled as a uniform lamina.

(a) Find the distance of the centre of mass of the lamina from A.
The mass of the template is 15 kg. A paticle of mass 5 kg is attached to vertex C of the
template.
(b) Find the position of the centre of mass of the template with the attached particle.

10
3.5 Ce e f ma f a f ame k
Framework:
- form by a number of rods or/and a number of pieces of wire
- mass length of rod or wire

Rod: at the mid-point

r sin
Circular arc, radius , angle at centre 2 : from centre

Ex 3E Q2
Find the position of the centre of mass of the framework shown in the diagram, which
is formed by bending a uniform piece of wire of total length (12 + 2 ) cm to form a
sector of a circle, centre O, radius 6 cm.

11
Ex 3E Q5
The diagram shows a triangular framework formed from uniform wire. Particles of
masses 10 kg, 20 kg and 30 kg are attached to vertices A, B and C respectively. The
mass of the unloaded framework is 15 kg. Find the position of the centre of mass of the
loaded framework.

12
3.6 Lami a i e ilib i m
The lamina may
(i) be suspended from a fixed point;
(ii) be free to rotate about a fixed hori ontal axis.

The center of mass must be vertically below the fixed point, the point of suspension or
the pivot.

The lamina may (iii) be put on an inclined plane.

In equilibrium Topple over

Line of action of weight must pass through the side on the inclined plane (AB).
Otherwise, it will topple over.

13
IAL 2016 June Q4

Figure 2
The uniform lamina ABCDE is made by joining a rectangular lamina ABDE to a
triangular lamina BCD along the edge BD. The rectangle has length 6a and width 3a.
The triangle is isosceles, with BC = CD, and the distance from C to BD is 3a, as shown
in Figure 2.
(a) Find the distance of the centre of mass of the lamina, ABCDE, from AE. (5)
The lamina ABCDE is freely suspended from A. A horizontal force of magnitude F
newtons is applied to the lamina at D. The line of action of the force lies in the vertical
plane containing the lamina. The lamina is in equilibrium with AE vertical. The mass
of the lamina is 4 kg.
(b) Find the magnitude of the force exerted on the lamina at A. (5)

14
IAL 2016 January Q5

Figure 2
The uniform lamina ABCDEF, shown in Figure 2, consists of two identical rectangles
with sides of length a and 3a. The mass of the lamina is M. A particle of mass kM is
attached to the lamina at E. The lamina, with the attached particle, is freely suspended
from A and hangs in equilibrium with AF at an angle to the downward vertical.
4
Given that tan = , find the value of k. (10)
7

15
IAL 2017 January Q2

Figure 1
A uniform lamina is in the shape of a trapezium ABCD with AB = a, DA = DC = 2a and
angle BAD = angle ADC = 90°, as shown in Figure 1.
The centre of mass of the lamina is at the point G.
10 a
(a) (i) Show that the distance of G from AB is .
9
(ii) Find the distance of G from AD. (6)
The mass of the lamina is 3M. A particle of mass kM is now attached to the lamina at
B. The lamina is freely suspended from the midpoint of AD and hangs in equilibrium
with AD horizontal.
(b) Find the value of k. (3)

16
IAL 2017 June Q6

Figure 3
The uniform lamina ABCD is a square with sides of length 6 . The point E is the
midpoint of side AD. The triangle CDE is removed from the square to form the uniform
lamina L, shown in Figure 3. The centre of mass of L is at the point G.
7
(a) Show that the distance of G from the side AB is a. (5)
3
(b) Find the distance of G from the side AE. (3)
The mass of L is M. A particle of mass M is attached to L at the point E. The lamina,
with the particle attached, is freely suspended from A and hangs in equilibrium with the
diagonal AC vertical.
(c) Find the value of . (5)

17
2018 Jan Q3

The uniform lamina OABCD is shown in Figure 1, with OA = 6 , AB = 3 , CD = 2

and DO = 6 and with right angles at O, A and D.
(a) Find the distance of the centre of mass of the lamina
(i) from OD,
(ii) from OA. (6)
The lamina is suspended from C and hangs freely in equilibrium with CB inclined at an
angle to the vertical.
(b) Find, to the nearest degree, the si e of the angle . (4)

18
IAL 2017 Oct Q5

The uniform lamina ABC is in the shape of an equilateral triangle with sides of length
3a
4 . The midpoint of BC is D. The point E lies on AD with DE = . A circular hole,
2
with centre E and radius , is made in the lamina ABC to form the lamina L, shown
shaded in Figure 2.
(a) Find the distance of the centre of mass of L from D. (5)
The lamina L is freely suspended from the point B and hangs in equilibrium.
(b) Find, to the nearest degree, the si e of the acute angle between AD and the
downward vertical. (3)

19
IAL 2014 January Q4

Figure 1

A uniform lamina ABCD is formed by removing the isosceles triangle ADC of height
metres, where h 2 3 , from a uniform lamina ABC in the shape of an equilateral
triangle of side 4 m, as shown in Figure 1. The centre of mass of ABCD is at D.
(a) Show that h = 3 (7)
The weight of the lamina ABCD is newtons. The lamina is freely suspended from A.
A hori ontal force of magnitude F newtons is applied at B so that the lamina is in
equilibrium with AB vertical. The hori ontal force acts in the vertical plane containing
the lamina.
(b) Find F in terms of . (4)

20
IAL 2015 January Q4

Figure 1
The uniform plane lamina ABCDEF shown in Figure 1 is made from two identical
rhombuses. Each rhombus has sides of length and angle BAD = angle DAF = . The
centre of mass of the lamina is 0.9 from A.
(a) Show that cos = 0.8 (5)
The weight of the lamina is . A particle of weight is fixed to the lamina at the
point A. The lamina is freely suspended from B and hangs in equilibrium with DA
hori ontal.
(b) Find the value of . (4)

21
3.7 F ame k i e ilib i m
IAL 2015 June Q3
A thin uniform wire of mass 12 is bent to form a right-angled triangle ABC. The
lengths of the sides AB, BC and AC are 3 , 4 and 5 respectively. A particle of mass
2 is attached to the triangle at B and a particle of mass 3 is attached to the triangle
at C. The bent wire and the two particles form the system .
The system is freely suspended from A and hangs in equilibrium.
Find the si e of the angle between AB and the downward vertical. (10)

22
3.8 N - if m c m i e lami a a d f ame k
1. Divide the composite lamina into some standard uniform laminas.
2. Find the center of mass of each lamina.
3. Masses of each sub-laminas area and density
4. Solve it like point masses.

Ex 3H Q7
The diagram shows a sign for an ice-cream shop. The sign is made from a sheet of wood
in the shape of an isosceles triangle, attached to a semicircular sheet of painted metal,
as shown in the diagram. The triangle is modelled as a lamina of mass 4 kg, and the
semicircle is modelled as a lamina of mass 16 kg.

(a) Find the distance of the centre of mass of the composite lamina from BD.
The shop owner wants to suspend the sign by two inextensible vertical wires, so that
the axis of symmetry AOC is hori ontal. She attaches one wire to point B.
(b) State, with a reason, whether she should attached the other wire to point A or point
C.
(c) Using your answer to part (b), find the tension in each wire.

23
24
IAL 2014 June Q4

Figure 2
The uniform square lamina ABCD shown in Figure 2 has sides of length 4 . The points
E and F, on DA and DC respectively, are both at a distance 3 from D.
The portion DEF of the lamina is folded through 180 about EF to form the folded
lamina ABCFE shown in Figure 3 below.

Figure 3
55
(a) Show that the distance from AB of the centre of mass of the folded lamina is a.
32
(6)
The folded lamina is freely suspended from E and hangs in equilibrium.
(b) Find the si e of the angle between ED and the downward vertical. (4)

25