2.

6 MOMENTS AND CENTERS OF MASS, MAT 2280

The main objective of this section is to find the point 𝑃 on which a thin plate of any given shape
balances horizontally. This point is called the center of mass (or center of gravity, also called a
centroid) of the plate. If you have seem performers who spin plates on the ends of sticks they
had to this on a center of mass. If the shape is not nice then your center of mass might not be so
obvious.

First we consider a simpler situation in one-dimension where two masses 𝑚1 and 𝑚2 balanced
on opposite sides of a seesaw at distances of 𝑑1 and 𝑑2 from the fulcrum. Archimedes
discovered that the seesaw will balance if

Now suppose that the seesaw lies along the 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 with 𝑚1 at 𝑥1 and 𝑚2 at 𝑥2 and the center
of mass located at 𝑥̅ .
A flat plate (called a lamina) with uniform density and thickness 𝜌 that occupies a region ℛ of
the plane. The center of mass is called the centroid of the region.

This is assuming the object is homogenous, which means the density is the same everywhere.
Some objects have a center of mass that is not on the object like a boomerang. The center of
mass does not have to be on the object.

So if want to talk about this weird shaped thing moving through space, then I can just reduce it
down to a certain point and then take its total mass and just refer to it as a point with a total
mass. Not every application would want to this, but a lot would.

In Calculus 3 you will deal with Laminas that are non-homogenous. You will actually know
how the density caries throughout the lamina. This idea will require more integrals instead of a
single integral.
Centers of Mass (Homogenous Laminas)

𝑏 𝑏
𝐴 = ∫ 𝑓(𝑥 )𝑑𝑥 𝑜𝑟 ∫ [𝑓(𝑥 ) − 𝑔(𝑥 )]𝑑𝑥
𝑎 𝑎
Center of mass (𝑥̅, 𝑦̅)
1 𝑏 1 𝑏
𝑥̅ = ∫𝑎 𝑥𝑓(𝑥)𝑑𝑥 of ∫𝑎 𝑥[𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)]𝑑𝑥
𝐴 𝐴
1 𝑏1 1 𝑏1
𝑦̅ = ∫𝑎 [𝑓(𝑥)]2 𝑑𝑥 of ∫𝑎 [𝑓(𝑥)2 − 𝑔(𝑥)2 ]𝑑𝑥
𝐴 2 𝐴 2
Example 1. Find the center of mass of the region 0 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 2, 1≤𝑦≤4

Example 2. Sketch the region bounded by the curves, and find the exact coordinates of the
centroid.
𝑦 = √𝑥, 𝑦 = 0, 𝑥 = 4
Example 3. Find the center of mass (centroid) of the region bounded by 𝑦 = 2 − 𝑥 2
and 𝑦 = 𝑥