TURNING EFFECTS OF FORCES (PART2)

• Centre of gravity
• Experiment of a lamina
• Stability

Prepared by:
Ume Hafsa
Centre of Gravity (mass)
Centre of gravity (mass) of a body is the point about which
the entire weight (mass) of the body seems to act.
• The centre of gravity may be regarded as the point of
balance.
• The centre of gravity of a body is in the same position as its
centre of mass.
• The centre of gravity of regular and
uniform (made all of the same
material) objects are at their
geometrical centers’.
Experiment
Finding center of gravity of irregular shape lamina
You are provide with
• Irregular lamina
• Thread and a bob
• Nail clamped in a stand

Procedure:
Make three hole A, B and C on the lamina. First hang it on the point A, so
that it can swing freely on a nail clamped in a stand. To locate the vertical
line through A tie a plumb line to the nail as shown above.
When the plumb line comes to the rest, draw line
of plumb line by using ruler and pencil. Mark it as
line AD as shown below.

Then repeat the same procedure with point B and C,

Where the line AD, BE and CF intersect is the center of
gravity of the lamina as shown below.
Stability
• Stability – the ability of an object to retain its original
position after being displaced slightly.

• The stability of an object can be improved by:

 Lowering its C.G. (Add weights to the object’s lower part).
 Increasing the base area of the object.
Assignment Question
Fig. A and Fig. B show a thick piece of wood with one corner on a table.
Fig. C shows the same piece of wood balanced on the table. B is the
centre of mass.

Figure A Figure B Figure C

i. Explain why in Fig. A the piece of wood falls to the right and in
Fig. B it falls to the left.
ii. Explain why the piece of wood in C does not fall over.
iii. Suggest how the thickness of the wood in C affects its stability