Mechanics of Materials

ME 211
 Center of Mass/Gravity
• A solid body is made up of a number of tightly
held particles
• Each particle has a certain mass
• Under the influence of gravity, each particle
has some weight
• The mass and hence the weight of a body is
the combination and resultant of the mass
and weight of all constituent particles
 Center of Gravity
• In mechanics center of gravity usually coincides with
center of mass
• The weight of a body is the sum of the weights of its
constituent particles
• The weight of a body acts vertically downwards
(towards the source of the gravitational field) through
a fixed point in the body called the center of gravity
• The center of gravity is independent of the
orientation of the body
Center of Gravity of a set of Particles in a
Plane
Center of Gravity of a set of Particles in a
Plane
 Center of Gravity of a set of Particles in a
Plane
• Using the principle of balancing moments:
 (S m ) x = S (mi xi)
 (S m ) y = S (mi yi)
 (S m ) r = S (mi ri)
 Example
• Consider an example of 3 particles lying in a
plane:
• m1 = 2 kg; x1 = 2, y1 = 3 ; r1 = 2i + 3j
• m2 = 5 kg; x2 = 3, y2 = -1 ; r2 = 3i - j
• m3 = 3 kg ; x3 = -2, y3 = 5 ; r3 = -2i + 5j
• (S m ) r = S (mi ri)
• r = (13i + 16j)/10
 Composite Bodies
• For bodies made up of standard parts of
known weights and centers of gravity, the
principle of moments can be used in the same
way as in the set of particles
• The center of gravity of a uniform body lies on
each line of symmetry that the body possesses
• Squares, Rectangles etc
 Example
• Consider a uniform lamina made from a
square of length a cm and an equilateral
triangle of sides a cm.
• Find the center of gravity of the lamina
• Since the lamina is symmetric about one axis,
its CG lies on that axis
 Example (cont.)
• Dividing the lamina into two components, determine the weight
of the two constituents assuming uniform density
• If the lamina weights w kg, and since the lamina is uniform in
thickness, r = w/A
• Weight of square r a2;
• CG = a/2
• Weight of triangle = [√3/4][r a2] ;
• CG = [1 + √3/6]a
• Weight of lamina = [1 + √3/4] r a2; CG = x

• x = a[5 + 2 √3]/(8 + 2 √3)

 Center of Gravity by Integration
• In engineering we usually consider bodies that
are laminas, solids of revolution or surfaces of
revolution
• Using the same principle of moments, CG
position can be determined
 Example
• Find the coordinates of the CG of a uniform
parabolic sheet metal where the parabola is
bound in the first quadrant and defined as
• y2 = 1-x
• (S m ) x = S (mi xi)
• A x = ∫01 xy dx
• x = 2/5
 Assignment 1
• Find the x and y coordinate of the CG of a
uniform parabolic sheet metal where the
parabola is bound in the first quadrant and
defined as
• y2 = 1-x
• Ans y = 3/8 units
• x = 2/5
 Example
• What is the CG of a uniform density right
circular cone having a base radius a and height
h
 Solution
• The cone is generated by revolving the line
y=(a/h)x about the x axis
• Using the principle of moments, and summing up
infinitesimal disks having radii y and thickness x,
CG x:
• V x = ∫01 xy2 dx
• V = 1/3a2h
• Solve using standard integration
• x=¾h
 Assignment 2
• A uniform block is in the form of a square
ABCD of sides 2 m and a certain thickness. E is
a point on AD such that ED = x m. The portion
EDC is then removed from the block. What is
the maximum value of x such that the block
will not topple.
 Example
• A uniform lamina is in the form of a rectangle
ABCD where AB = 2a and BC = 4a. E and F are
points such that BE = AF = a. H and J are mid
points of EF and CD. A cut is made along lines
EH and HJ such that an L shaped section
remains. Find the center of gravity of the
resulting body.
 Solution
• Solve by subtracting rectangle CEHJ from
rectangle ABCD