Moments, Center of Mass,

Centroids
 Mass
• Definition: mass is a measure of a body's
resistance to changes in motion
▪ It is independent of a particular gravitational
system
▪ However, mass is sometimes equated with
weight (which is not technically correct)
▪ Weight is a type of force … dependent on gravity
 Mass
• The relationship is Force = mass  acceleration

• Contrast of measures of mass and force

System Measure of Measure of

Mass Force
U.S. Slug Pound
International Kilogram Newton
C-G-S Gram Dyne
 Centroid
• Center of mass for a system
▪ The point where all the mass seems to be
concentrated
▪ If the mass is of constant density this point is
called the centroid

4kg 10kg 6kg

•
 Centroid
• Each mass in the system has a "moment"
▪ The product of the mass and the distance from
the origin

4kg 10kg 6kg

▪ "First moment" is the sum of all the moments

• The centroid is x = m1 x1 + m2 x2
m1 + m2
 Centroid
• Centroid for multiple points
First moment of Also
n

m x
the system notated Mx,
i i Also notated My, moment
about
x= i =1 moment about
y-axis x-axis
n

 mi n

Total mass of the

i =1 m y i i
system Also notated m, y= i =1
n

m
the total mass
• Centroid about x-axis i
i =1
 Centroid
• The location of the centroid is the ordered
pair ( x , y )
My Mx
x= y=
m m

• Consider a system with 10g at (2,-1), 7g at

(4, 3), and 12g at (-5,2)
▪ What is the center of mass?
 Centroid
• Given 10g at (2,-1), 7g at (4, 3), and 12g
at (-5,2)

7g
12g

10g

M y = 10  (2) + 7  4 + 12  (−5)
M x = 10  (−1) + 7  3 + 12  2
m = 10 + 7 + 12 x =? y =?
 Centroid
• Consider a region under
a curve of a material of
uniform density •
a b
▪ We divide the region into x
rectangles
▪ Mass of each considered to be centered at
geometric center
▪ Mass of each is the product of the density, ρ and
the area
▪ We sum the products of distance and mass
Centroid of Area Under a Curve
• First moment with respect
b
to the y-axis
M y =    x  f ( x) dx
a

• First moment with respect

to the x-axis 1
b

    f ( x)
2
Mx = dx
2 a

• Mass of the region

b
m =    f ( x) dx
a
 Centroid of Region Between
Curves
f(x)
• Moments
b
g(x)
M y =    x  ( f ( x) − g ( x) ) dx
a

( f ( x) −  g ( x) ) dx
b
1
Mx =   
2 2

2a
• Mass Centroid
b
My Mx
m =     f ( x) − g ( x)  dx x= y=
a m m
If the density of the material is uniform

y
a b
• If a shape possesses an axis of symmetry, then its centroid will
always be located on that axis.
• If it has two or multiple axes of symmetry, then its centroid will
coincide with the intersection of those axes.
Try It Out!
 Try It Out!
• Find the centroid of
the plane region
bounded by
y = x2 + 16 and
the x-axis over
the interval 0 < x < 4
▪ Mx = ?
▪ My = ?
▪ m=?