CENTROID AND CENTER OF GRAVITY

CENTRE OF GRAVITY
Centre of Gravity (C.G.) is that point through which the resultant of a system of parallel forces
formed by the weights of all particles of the body passes.

In other words, the point through which the whole weight of the body acts is known as centre of
gravity.

Every body has one and only one c.g.

Centroid

• The plane figures (like triangle, quadrilateral, circle, trapezoid, etc.) have only areas but no
mass. The centre of area of such figure is known as centroid.
• It is also called the geometrical centre or the centre of gravity.

Derivation for Centre of Gravity

Derivation for the Centroid of Area
Axis of Symmetry
Axis of Symmetry is a line or axis which divides the given line, are or volume into two equal and
identical parts.

Centroid always lies along the line of axis of symmetry.

How to calculate the position of C.G.?

1. Choose the reference axis (if not given) by considering the axis of symmetry.
2. Divide the given area into a number of elements with defined geometry.
3. Calculate the area and position of c.g. of each area from the reference axis.
SAMPLE PROBLEM:

Problem 1: Centroid of C-Shapes

Solution 1
a. Divide the compound shape into basic shapes. In this case, the C-shape has three rectangles.
Name the three divisions as Area 1, Area 2, and Area 3.

b. Solve for the area of each division. The rectangles have dimensions 120 x 40, 40 x 50, 120 x 40
for Area 1, Area 2, and Area 3 respectively.
Area 1 = b x h

Area 1 = 120.00 mm x 40.00 mm

Area 1 = 4800.00 square millimeters

Area 2 = b x h
Area 2 = 40.00 mm x 50.00 mm
Area 2 = 2000 square millimeters

Area 3 = b x h
Area 3 = 120.00 mm x 40.00 mm
Area 3 = 4800.00 square millimeters

∑A = 4800 + 2000 + 4800

∑A = 11600.00 square millimeters

c. X and Y distances of each area. X

distances are the distances of each area's
centroid from the y-axis, and Y distances
are the distances of each area's centroid
from the x-axis.
Area 1:
x = 60.00 millimeters
y = 20.00 millimeters

Area 2:
x = 100.00 millimeters
y = 65.00 millimeters

Area 3:
x = 60 millimeters
y = 110 millimeters

d. Solve for the Ax values. Multiply the area of each region by the distances from the y-axis.
Ax1 = 4800.00 square mm x 60.00 mm

Ax1 = 288000 cubic millimeters

Ax2 = 2000.00 square mm x 100.00 mm

Ax2 = 200000 cubic millimeters

Ax3 = 4800.00 square mm x 60.00 mm

Ax3 = 288000 cubic millimeters

∑Ax = 776000 cubic millimetres

e. Solve for the Ay values. Multiply the area of each region by the distances from the x-axis.
Ay1 = 4800.00 square mm x 20.00 mm

Ay1 = 96000 cubic millimeters

Ay2 = 2000.00 square mm x 65.00 mm

Ay2 = 130000 cubic millimeters

Ay3 = 4800.00 square mm x 110.00 mm

Ay3 = 528000 cubic millimeters

∑Ay = 754000 cubic millimeters

f. Finally, solve for the centroid (Cx, Cy) by dividing ∑Ax by ∑A, and ∑Ay by ∑A.

Cx = ΣAx / ΣA

Cx = 776000 / 11600

Cx = 66.90 millimeters

Cy = ΣAy / ΣA

Cy = 754000 / 11600

Cy = 65.00 millimeters

ANSWER:

The centroid of the complex figure is 66.90 millimeters from the y-axis and 65.00 millimeters from
the x-axis.
SEAT WORK / QUIZ:

Find the centroid of this shape given.

ANSWER:

The centroid of the complex figure is 17.23 millimeters from the y-axis and 110.24 millimeters from
the x-axis.
Quiz Problems