CENTROIDS

AND
CENTER OF GRAVITIES

Mathematics possesses not only truth,

but supreme beauty - a beauty cold
and austere, like that of a sculpture.
CONTENTS
Basic Definitions
Composite Objects
Theorems Of Papus And Guldinus
Definitions
Center of Gravity
Center of Mass
Volume Centroid
Area Centroid
Curve (line) Centroid
 Weights W Center of gravity

g gravitational acceleration
Masses W=gM Center of mass

Volumes W=grV r density

Volume centroid

t thin plate thickness

Areas W=grtA area centroid

a wire cross section

Lines W=graL line centroid

In our work we will consider the following

Uniform gravitational field. Uniform cross section

density is uniform Thickness of thin plates is uniform
Center of Gravity For a Continuous
z
Object
Element of weight
dW
xG 
 x e dW
 dW Total weight
 y dW
e W   dW
yG  G e
 dW
ze
ye
zG 
 z dW
e
x
xe y

 dW zG
yG xG
given
 x dW
e  y dW
e  z dW
e
Center of Mass
xG  yG  zG 
 dW  dW  dW
setting dW  d gm  leads to

 x d gm 
e  y d gm 
e  z d gm 
e
xG  yG  zG 
 dgm   dgm   dgm  g
now, let us take g to be uniform all over the body, then

xG 
 x dm
e
yG 
 y dm
e
zG 
 z dm
e

 dm  dm  dm
where dm Element of mass
M   dm Total mass
Thus The Center Of Mass Coincides With Its Center Of Gravity
given
 x dW e  y dW
e  z dW
e
Volume Centroid
xG  yG  zG 
 dW  dW  dW
setting dW  d gm   d g ρ V leads to

 x d g ρ V
e  y d g ρ V
e  z d g ρ V
e
xG  yG  zG 
 dg ρ V  dg ρ V  dg ρ V
now, let us take g and the density r to be uniform all over the body, then

xG 
 x dV
e
yG 
 y dV
e
zG 
 z dV
e

 dV  dV  dV
where dV Element of volume
V   dV Total volume
Thus The Volume Centroid Coincides With Its Center of Gravity
given
 x dW
e  y dW
e  z dW
e
Area Centroid
xG  yG  zG 
 dW  dW  dW
setting dW  d  gm   d  gρV  d ρtA  leads to A

xG =
 x d gρtA 
e
yG =
 y d gρtA 
e
zG=
 z d gρtA 
e

 d gρtA   d gρtA   d gρtA 

now, let us take g, r, and the body thickness t to be uniform and very small all over the body,
then

xG 
 x dA e
yG 
 y dA
e
zG 
 z dA
e

 dA  dA  dA
where dA Element of area
A   dA Total area
Thus The Area Centroid Coincides With Its Center of Gravity
given
 x dW
e  y dW
e  z dW
e
Line Centroid
xG  yG  zG 
 dW  dW  dW
setting dW  d gm   d ρV   d ρaL  leads to

xG =
 x d gρa L
e
yG =
 y d gρa L
e
zG=
 z d gρa L
e

 d gρa L  d gρa L  d gρa L

now, let us take g, r, and the wire cross section a to be uniform all over the body, then

xG 
 x dL e
yG 
 y dL
e
zG 
 z dL
e

 dL  dL  dL
where dL Element of length
L   dL Total length
Thus The Line Centroid Coincides With Its Center of Gravity
Center of gravity for discrete objects
z
n n n

x w i i y w i i z w i i
xG  i1
n
yG  i1
n
zG  i1
n

w i w i w i
i1 i1 i1 w2
G
where z2
w1 zG w3
W=g M=gρ V=gρtA=gρa L
z1 y2 z3
yG x2 y
x xG
y1 x1 y3 x3
NOTICE
For uniform objects, if there is a line of
SYMMETRY, then the center of gravity lies G
on it. The exact location cant
immediately be located

For uniform objects, if there are two or

more lines of SYMMETRY, then the center G

of gravity is located on its intersection

Composite Wires
n n n

xL i i yL i i z L i i
xG  i1
n
yG  i1
n
zG  i1
n

L
i1
i L
i1
i L
i1
i
Common Shapes and their centroids

2r
C

2r C 2r
 
r r
L  πr π
L r
2
 Example-1
Determine the centroid of the three uniform wires AB, BC, and CA with respect to the x-y
coordinates. All three wires have the same density and cross section

4m

x
A
3m C
 Solution
y
n

xL i i B
xG  i1
n

L
i1
i

40   31. 5  51. 5

xG   1m 4m 5m
435
n C 1 0,2  C 3 1.5,2 
yL i i
yG  i1
n
1m G
L
i1
i

1.5m
42   30   52 
yG   1. 5m
435 x
A
C 2 1.5,0  3m C
Example-2
Determine the centroid of the complete quarter circle shown with respect to the x-y
coordinates. All wires have the same density and cross section

y
x

5m 2m
B
4m

C A
4m
Solution
y x
y
x
2m
5m 2m
B
5m B
2m 4m
C 2 5,-4 
C A
2m 4m

C
Solution
y
y x x

5m 2m
2m
B

5m 4m

4m C A
4m

2m 2m
C C 1 7,-6  A
y x 2r

C 2r
2m

C r
5m π
C 3 7.55,-3.45  L r  6.3
2. 55m 2
4m
2. 55m
B
4m

19
 # L x Lx y Ly
1
4 5 20 -4 -16
2
4 7 28 -6 -24
3
6.3 7.55 47.6 -3.45 -21.74
SUMS
14.3 95.6 -61.74
n n

xL i i yL i i
xG  i1
n
yG  i1
n

L
i1
i L
i1
i

95. 6  61. 74
xG   6. 68m yG   4. 32m
14. 3 14. 3

20
EXAMPLE-3
Determine the centroid of the body shown. The wire is of uniform density and cross
section z
D

6 m
C y
O

8 m
A
x 12 m B
 z
SOLUTION
D
Divide the wire into known sections
6 m
1- wire AB
2r/
2- wire BC O C y

3- wire CDO 8 m
L3  CDO   r  3.14(6)  18.85 m A
B
2r 12 x
z3    3.82 m 12 m
 3.14
# L x Lx y Ly z Lz
1
12 8 6 0
2
8 4 12 0
3
18.85 0 6 3.82
SUMS
3- The centroid of the whole wire is then located using;

# L x Lx y Ly z Lz
1
12 8 96 6 72 0 0
2 0
8 4 32 12 96 0
3
18.85 0 0 6 113.1 3.82 72
SUMS
38.85 128 281.1 72
n n

L x i i
128 L y i i
281.1
xC = i=1
n
  3.3 m yC = i=1
n
  7.23 m
38.85 38.85
L
i=1
i L
i=1
i
n

L z i i
72
zC = i=1
n
  1.85 m
38.85
L
i=1
i
AREAS
 xC yC A
h xC C b h 1
hb
yC 3 3 2

xC C a b
b ab
yC 2 2

xC C r r πr 2

r yC
 4r
C 3 C
4r 4r
3 3
r r
1 2 1
A πr A  πr 2
2 4
EXAMPLE-4
A circle of radius 2 m is removed from the uniform area shown.
Determine the location of its centroid with respect to the x and y
coordinates.
y

8m

3m

3m x

9m 4m 3m
 8m
Solution
3m

3m

9m 4m 3m

8m

6m 6m 4r
4m 6m 3
3m 12.7 2m
2m 3m

9m
A3  14. 14m 2 A 4  12.57m
2
A1  27m 2 A 2  48m 2
 y 8m

3m 6m

3m
3m x
2m
9m 4m 3m
# A x Ax y Ay
1
27 6 2
2

SUMS
 y 8m

3m
4m
x 2  9  4  13m 3m 3m x

9m 4m 3m

# A x Ax y Ay
1
27 6 2
2
48 13 3
3

SUMS
 8m
y
3m 4r
3
x 3  9  8  1.27  18. 27m 1.27
3m x

9m 4m 3m

# A x Ax y Ay
1
27 6 2
2
48 13 3
3
14.14 18.27 3
4

SUMS
 y 8m

3m

2m
3m x
x 4  9  4  13m 9m 4m 3m

# A x Ax y Ay
1
27 6 2
2
48 13 3
3
14.14 18.27 3
4
12.57 13 3
SUMS
 # A x Ax y Ay
1
27 6 162 2 54
2
48 13 624 3 144
3
14.14 18.27 258.34 3 42.42
4
12.57 13 163.41 3 37.71
SUMS
76.57 880.93 202.71
n

A y
n

A x i i
880.93 yC = i=1
i i

202.71
 2.65 m
xC = i=1
  11.5 m n
76.57
A
n
76.57
A
i=1
i
i=1
i
Example-5
y
Determine the location of
the centroid with respect
to the x and y coordinates 2m
of the uniform area
shown.

3m 2m

x
1m 2m
 3m 2m

3m
2/3m
4r
5m 1.5m 2m
1m 3
3m
2m 2m
4r
2.5m 3
2m
1m 2m

A1  15m 2 A 2  3m 2 A3  3. 14m 2
 y

2m

1.5m

# A x Ax y Ay 2.5m
1
3m 2m
15 1.5 2.5
2
x
3
1m 2m
SUMS
 y
2/3m
1m 2m

# A x Ax y Ay
1
3m 2m
15 1.5 2.5
2
3 1 4.33 x
3
1m 2m
SUMS
 y

4r 8 2m
x3  3   3  2.15
3 3

# A x Ax y Ay 4r
1
3m 3 2m
15 1.5 2.5
2 4r
3 1 4.33 3 x
3 3. 14 2. 15 0. 85
1m 2m
SUMS
 # A x Ax y Ay y
1
15 1.5 22.5 2.5 37.5
2 2m
3 1 3 4.33 12.99
3 3. 14 2. 15 6.75 0. 85 2.67
SUMS 21.84
8.86 12.75
n

A x i i
12.75
3m 2m
xC = i=1
n
  1.44 m
8.86
A i n x
A y
i=1
i i
21.84 1m 2m
yC = i=1
n
  2.46 m
8.86
A
i=1
i
Home Work y

Determine the location of 1m 1.5m 1.5m

the centroid with respect 0.5m
to the x and y coordinates 0.5m
of the uniform area
shown.
1m
3m

x
Hint y

1.5m 1.5m 1m
0.5m
0.5m

3m
1m

x
 Theorem of
Pappus and Guldinus
The first Theorem
The area of a surface of revolution equals the product of the length of the generating curve
and the distance traveled by the centroid of the curve in generating the surface area

L C
rC

S  LrCθ
S  LrCθ
Lh
rC  r h/2
θ  2π r C
S  2rh h/2
S  LrCθ
L πr
rC  2r/π
θ  2π C
2r / π

S  4r 2
S  LrCθ
LL
rC  r/2
L/2
θ  2π C
r/2
S  rL L/2

r
Example-7
The thin wall tank is fabricated from a 2m
hemisphere and cylindrical shell. Determine
the amount of paint needed to cover the
surface of the open tank. Assume that a
liter of paint covers 10 m2.

6m

2m
Solution
S  LrCθ
First, the cylinder
L6 rC  2 θ  2π
S C  24 π
2m 6m
Second, the half sphere
L  πr/2  π rC  4/π θ  2π
S S  8π

S  S C  S S  32 π m2
4 /π 2m
L  32 π /10  10 liters
The Second Theorem
The volume of a body of revolution equals the product of the length of the generating area
and the distance traveled by the centroid of the area in generating the volume

L C
rC

V  ArCθ
V  ArCθ
A  rh
rC  r/2
θ  2π r/2 C
h
V  r h
2

r
V  ArCθ

A  πr 2 /2
rC  4r/3π
C
θ  2π 4r / 3π

4 3
V  r
3
V  ArCθ
A  rh/2
rC  r/3
h
θ  2π
r/3 C
1 2
V  r h r
3
Example-8
Determine the volume of the solid shown 2m
using Pappus theorem

6m

2m
Solution 2m
V  ArCθ z
2m
First, the cylinder
A  12 rC  1 θ  2π
6m
VC  24 π
1m
Second, the half sphere 6m
Aπ rC  8/3 π θ  2π
2m
16
VS  π
3
4r / 3π

V  VC  VS  83.8 m 3
Test your knowledge
Determine the volume of the solid generated by rotating the shown area about the z axis

1m

2.5m

2m

1m