CENTER

OF MASS
CENTER OF MASS
The point of an object at which all the
mass is thought to be concentrated.

Average location of mass.

LOCATION OF
CENTER OF MASS
The CM could be located:
- within the object (human
standing straight)

- outside the object (high jumper

as she goes over the bar)
HUMAN BODY:
In most men, the
center of mass is
located at or
slightly above the
navel,
HUMAN BODY:
In most women it is
located below the
navel, closer to the
hips.
CENTER OF MASS
CHALLENGE
#1. THE THUMB PRESS
1. Place a chair against a wall so that it
cannot slide backward.
2. Sit in the chair with your feet flat on the
floor in front of you.
3. Have a partner gently place a thumb in
the middle of your forehead.
4. Now try to stand up without forcing your
partner’s hand back.
#1. THE THUMB PRESS
WHAT HAPPENED?
It is hard to stand up because your
center of mass is located over the seat of the
chair rather than over your feet, which are in
front of you.
#2. THE CHAIR LIFT
1. Place a chair sideways along a wall.
2. Stand next to the chair. Make sure your
feet are beside the chair, not under the
chair.
3. Bend over the chair, creating a 90-degree
angle with your body.
4. Place your head against a wall.
5. Now try lifting the chair keeping your
head pressed against the wall and then
try to stand up.
#2. THE CHAIR LIFT
WHAT HAPPENED?
The center of mass for most girls is
lower to the hips, while the center of
mass in boys is much higher.
#3. ‘PISO’ GRAB
1. Stand with your back and feet against
the wall. (your legs must be straight and
feet together.)
2. Have a partner place a coin between
your feet, in front of your toes.
3. While keeping your legs straight, bend
over and pick up the coin without falling
over.
#3. PISO GRAB
WHAT HAPPENED?
As you bend over to pick up the coin,
your rear end naturally extend backward to
help keep your body balanced. Since it’s
pressed against the wall, your bottom has no
where to extend.
#4. THE LEG RAISE
1. Stand with your right shoulder and right
leg pressed against the wall.
2. With both your shoulder and leg
touching the wall, “simply” raise your
left leg. Your goal is to stand only on
your right leg – the one touching the
wall.
 MICHAEL JACKSON’S
ANTI-GRAVITY LEAN
To accomplish this maneuver for
stage performances, though,
Jackson patented a hitching
mechanism which was built into
the floor of the stage and the
performer's shoes.
These allow a performer to lean
without needing to keep his center
of mass directly over his feet.
However, the trick still required
very good core strength.
 CENTER OF MASS IN SPORTS

CM does not have to be within the

object
By changing shape (e.g. high jumper)
position of center of mass can be
changed

15
KJF §7.3
Center of Mass is outside the
object.
"Fosbury flop"

The high jumper bends his/her body so the CM

passes under the bar.

Since the height of CM is lower than the bar, it

requires less force to jump up to the bar
Pole Vault
CENTER OF MASS :
SYMMETRICAL
OBJECTS
CENTER OF MASS
AND GRAVITY
Centre of mass is the point at which the
distribution of mass is equal in all directions,
and does not depend on gravitational field.
Centre of gravity is the point at which the
distribution of weight is equal in all
directions, and does depend on gravitational
field.
CENTER OF MASS OF:
System of Particles

Extended Object
 CENTER OF MASS OF A SYSTEM OF
PARTICLES IN ONE DIMENSION

XCM= mixi
M
mi is the mass of each particle

xi is the position of each particle with respect to the

origin
M is the sum of the masses of all particles
COORDINATES OF CENTER OF MASS OF A
SYSTEM OF PARTICLES IN THREE DIMENSIONS

m x i i m y i i m z i i
xCM  i
yCM  i
zCM  i
M M M
EXAMPLE #1: CENTER OF MASS
IN TWO DIMENSIONS
Find the CM of the following system:

m1=1kg

2m

m2=2kg 2m

m3=3kg
 EXAMPLE #1 CENTER OF MASS IN ONE
DIMENSION

Two bowling balls are at rest on top of a uniform wooden plank with the
centers of mass located as in the figure.
The plank has a mass of 5.00 kg and is 1 m long, Find the horizontal
distance from the left end of the plank to the center of mass of the
plank-bowling balls system.
EXAMPLE #3
A uniform piece of sheet steel is shaped as shown. Compute the x and y coordinates of the center of mass.
(Assume mass is proportional to area.)

30 cm

20 cm

10 cm

0 cm
10 cm 20 cm 30 cm
CENTER OF MASS OF A ROD
Find the center of mass of a rod of mass M and length L.

Ans: xCM = L / 2, (or yCM = zCM = 0)

CM OF SYMMETRICAL
OBJECT

The CM of any symmetrical

object lies on an axis of
symmetry and on any plane of
symmetry.
 TOPPLING RULE OF
THUMB
If the CG of the object is
above the area of support, the
object will remain upright.
If the CG is outside the area
of support the object will
topple.
ANOTHER LOOK AT
STABILITY
Stable equilibrium: when for a balanced object a displacement
raises the CG (to higher U so it tends to go back to the lower U).
Unstable equilibrium: when for a balanced object a displacement
lowers the CG (lower U).
Neutral equilibrium: when the height of the CG does not change
with displacement.
SEATWORK #1: CENTER
OF MASS IN ONE
DIMENSION
Find the CM of a system of four particles that have a
mass of 2 kg each. Two are located 3cm and 5 cm from
the origin on the + x-axis and two are 2 and 4 cm from
the origin on the – y-axis.
STABILITY
EXAMPLE #44 “FOSBURY FLOP”

Find the CM

Ans: 0.0635L below

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