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SOLVING PROBLEMS
ON YOUR OWN

I n the problems for this lesson, you will be asked to locate the centers of gravity
of three-dimensional bodies or the centroids of their volumes. All of the tech-
niques we previously discussed for two-dimensional bodies—using symmetry,
dividing the body into common shapes, choosing the most efficient differential
element, etc.—may also be applied to the general three-dimensional case.
1. Locating the centers of gravity of composite bodies. In general, Eqs. (5.20) must
be used:
w oW 5 oxwW
X Y
w oW 5 oy wW Z
w oW 5 ozwW (5.20)
However, for the case of a homogeneous body, the center of gravity of the body
coincides with the centroid of its volume. Therefore, for this special case, the
center of gravity of the body can also be located using Eqs. (5.21):
X
w oV 5 oxw V Y
w oV 5 oy wV Z
w oV 5 ozw V (5.21)
You should realize that these equations are simply an extension of the equations
used for the two-dimensional problems considered earlier in the chapter. As the
solutions of Sample Probs. 5.11 and 5.12 illustrate, the methods of solution for
two- and three-dimensional problems are identical. Thus, we once again strongly
encourage you to construct appropriate diagrams and tables when analyzing com-
posite bodies. Also, as you study Sample Prob. 5.12, observe how the x and y
coordinates of the centroid of the quarter cylinder were obtained using the equa-
tions for the centroid of a quarter circle.
We note that two special cases of interest occur when the given body consists of
either uniform wires or uniform plates made of the same material.
a. For a body made of several wire elements of the same uniform cross sec-
tion, the cross-sectional area A of the wire elements will factor out of Eqs. (5.21)
when V is replaced with the product AL, where L is the length of a given element.
Equations (5.21) thus reduce in this case to
w oL 5 oxwL
X Y
w oL 5 oy wL Z
w oL 5 ozwL
b. For a body made of several plates of the same uniform thickness, the thickness t
of the plates will factor out of Eqs. (5.21) when V is replaced with the product tA,
where A is the area of a given plate. Equations (5.21) thus reduce in this case to
X
w oA 5 oxwA Y
w oA 5 oy wA Z
w oA 5 ozwA
2. Locating the centroids of volumes by direct integration. As explained in Sec. 5.12,
evaluating the integrals of Eqs. (5.22) can be simplified by choosing either a thin fila-
ment (Fig. 5.22) or a thin slab (Fig. 5.23) for the element of volume d V. Thus, you
should begin your solution by identifying, if possible, the d V which produces the
single or double integrals that are the easiest to compute. For bodies of revolution,
this may be a thin slab (as in Sample Prob. 5.13) or a thin cylindrical shell. However,
it is important to remember that the relationship that you establish among the vari-
ables (like the relationship between r and x in Sample Prob. 5.13) will directly affect
the complexity of the integrals you will have to compute. Finally, we again remind
you that xel, yel, and zel in Eqs. (5.23) are the coordinates of the centroid of dV.

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PROBLEMS
5.96 Determine the location of the centroid of the composite body
shown when (a) h 5 2b, (b) h 5 2.5b.

b
h

a
A
B C

Fig. P5.96

5.97 Determine the y coordinate of the centroid of the body shown.

b a
a
h 2

z
x

Fig. P5.97 and P5.98

5.98 Determine the z coordinate of the centroid of the body shown.

(Hint: Use the result of Sample Prob. 5.13.)

5.99 The composite body shown is formed by removing a semiellipsoid

of revolution of semimajor axis h and semiminor axis a/2 from a
hemisphere of radius a. Determine (a) the y coordinate of the
centroid when h 5 a/2, (b) the ratio h/a for which y 5 20.4a.

a a
2

x
h

z
Fig. P5.99

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5.100 For the stop bracket shown, locate the x coordinate of the center Problems
267
of gravity.
y
5.101 For the stop bracket shown, locate the z coordinate of the center 12 mm
of gravity.
100 mm
5.102 and 5.103 For the machine element shown, locate the y coor-
dinate of the center of gravity. 62 mm

51 mm
88 mm
12 mm
10 mm
y 16 mm
z 55 mm
x
34 mm 45 mm
60 mm
28 mm
24 mm
10 mm Fig. P5.100 and P5.101
40 mm

r = 13 mm r = 12 mm y
18 mm

2 in. 1 in.
100 mm 20 mm x
z 25 mm 2 in.
25 mm
20 mm 3 in. 2 in.
Fig. P5.102 and P5.105
r = 1.25 in.
r = 1.25 in.
x
0.75 in.

5.104 For the machine element shown, locate the z coordinate of the 2 in.
z
center of gravity. 2 in.

Fig. P5.103 and P5.104

5.105 For the machine element shown, locate the x coordinate of the
center of gravity.

125 mm
y

80 mm

r = 1.8 m
1.2 m
150 mm
z
0.8 m
x 250 mm
1.5 m
z x
Fig. P5.106 Fig. P5.107

5.106 and 5.107 Locate the center of gravity of the sheet-metal form
shown.
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268 Distributed Forces: Centroids and Centers

of Gravity
5.108 A wastebasket, designed to fit in the corner of a room, is 16 in.
high and has a base in the shape of a quarter circle of radius 10 in.
Locate the center of gravity of the wastebasket, knowing that it is
made of sheet metal of uniform thickness.
y

10 in.
10 in.

16 in.

z
Fig. P5.108
5.109 A mounting bracket for electronic components is formed from
sheet metal of uniform thickness. Locate the center of gravity of
the bracket.
y

r = 0.625 in.
1 in. 2.5 in.

3 in.
0.75 in.

z 6 in.
1.25 in.
0.75 in.
Fig. P5.109

5.110 A thin sheet of plastic of uniform thickness is bent to form a desk

organizer. Locate the center of gravity of the organizer.
y

60 mm

r = 5 mm

69 mm
74 mm
x

75 mm
z 30 mm r = 6 mm
r = 6 mm r = 6 mm
Fig. P5.110
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5.111 A window awning is fabricated from sheet metal of uniform thick- Problems
269
ness. Locate the center of gravity of the awning.

34 in.

r = 25 in.

z
x

4 in.

Fig. P5.111

5.112 An elbow for the duct of a ventilating system is made of sheet metal
of uniform thickness. Locate the center of gravity of the elbow.
y

r = 200 mm 76 mm
r = 400 mm

z
x

100 mm
Fig. P5.112

5.113 An 8-in.-diameter cylindrical duct and a 4 3 8-in. rectangular duct

are to be joined as indicated. Knowing that the ducts were fabri-
cated from the same sheet metal, which is of uniform thickness,
locate the center of gravity of the assembly.
y

12 in.

12 in.

4 in.
z x
8 in.

Fig. P5.113
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270 Distributed Forces: Centroids and Centers

of Gravity
5.114 A thin steel wire of uniform cross section is bent into the shape
shown. Locate its center of gravity.

0.6 m 0.6 m
A
D

0.8 m O

60°
C
B
z x
Fig. P5.114

5.115 and 5.116 Locate the center of gravity of the figure shown,
knowing that it is made of thin brass rods of uniform diameter.
y
y
A
A

1.5 m
B 30 in.
O
O
D

0.6 m x E
z 1m D x
B z r = 16 in.
Fig. P5.115 Fig. P5.116

y 5.117 The frame of a greenhouse is constructed from uniform aluminum

channels. Locate the center of gravity of the portion of the frame
shown.

5.118 A scratch awl has a plastic handle and a steel blade and shank.
r Knowing that the density of plastic is 1030 kg/m3 and of steel is
7860 kg/m3, locate the center of gravity of the awl.

50 mm 90 mm 10 mm
5 ft

2 5 mm r
3 ft
z 2 ft
x 3.5 mm
80 mm
Fig. P5.117
Fig. P5.118
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5.119 A bronze bushing is mounted inside a steel sleeve. Knowing that the Problems
271
specific weight of bronze is 0.318 lb/in3 and of steel is 0.284 lb/in3,
determine the location of the center of gravity of the assembly.
1.125 in.
0.5 in.
5.120 A brass collar, of length 2.5 in., is mounted on an aluminum rod of
length 4 in. Locate the center of gravity of the composite body.
(Specific weights: brass 5 0.306 lb/in3, aluminum 5 0.101 lb/in3.)
1.00 in.
1.6 in.

0.40 in.

0.75 in.
1.80 in.

4 in. Fig. P5.119

2.5 in.

3 in.

Fig. P5.120

5.121 The three legs of a small glass-topped table are equally spaced and
are made of steel tubing, which has an outside diameter of 24 mm
and a cross-sectional area of 150 mm2. The diameter and the thick-
ness of the table top are 600 mm and 10 mm, respectively. Knowing
that the density of steel is 7860 kg/m3 and of glass is 2190 kg/m3,
locate the center of gravity of the table.
r = 280 mm
5.122 through 5.124 Determine by direct integration the values of
x for the two volumes obtained by passing a vertical cutting plane r = 180 mm
through the given shape of Fig. 5.21. The cutting plane is parallel
to the base of the given shape and divides the shape into two vol-
umes of equal height.
5.122 A hemisphere Fig. P5.121

5.123 A semiellipsoid of revolution

5.124 A paraboloid of revolution.

5.125 and 5.126 Locate the centroid of the volume obtained by rotat-
ing the shaded area about the x axis.

y
y
y = kx 1/3
y = k(x – h)2

a
a

x x
h h

Fig. P5.125 Fig. P5.126

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272 Distributed Forces: Centroids and Centers

of Gravity
5.127 Locate the centroid of the volume obtained by rotating the shaded
area about the line x 5 h.

a
x2 + y 2 = 1
h2 a2
x
h

Fig. P5.127

*5.128 Locate the centroid of the volume generated by revolving the por-
tion of the sine curve shown about the x axis.

y
y = b sin π x
2a

x
a a
Fig. P5.128 and P5.129

*5.129 Locate the centroid of the volume generated by revolving the por-
tion of the sine curve shown about the y axis. (Hint: Use a thin
cylindrical shell of radius r and thickness dr as the element of
volume.)
y
*5.130 Show that for a regular pyramid of height h and n sides (n 5
3, 4, . . . ) the centroid of the volume of the pyramid is located at
a distance h/4 above the base.

R 5.131 Determine by direct integration the location of the centroid of

one-half of a thin, uniform hemispherical shell of radius R.
R
z
5.132 The sides and the base of a punch bowl are of uniform thickness t.
x If t V R and R 5 250 mm, determine the location of the center
Fig. P5.131 of gravity of (a) the bowl, (b) the punch.

Fig. P5.132
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5.133 After grading a lot, a builder places four stakes to designate the Problems
273
corners of the slab for a house. To provide a firm, level base for
the slab, the builder places a minimum of 3 in. of gravel beneath
the slab. Determine the volume of gravel needed and the x coor-
dinate of the centroid of the volume of the gravel. (Hint: The bot-
tom surface of the gravel is an oblique plane, which can be
represented by the equation y 5 a 1 bx 1 cz.)

3 in. 30 ft
50 ft

5 in.
6 in.
x
z

8 in.

Fig. P5.133

5.134 Determine by direct integration the location of the centroid of the y

volume between the xz plane and the portion shown of the surface
y 5 16h(ax 2 x2)(bz 2 z2)/a2 b2 .
h

h
3 a
a
z x
Fig. P5.135

x y
z b
a

Fig. P5.134

h
5.135 Locate the centroid of the section shown, which was cut from a
thin circular pipe by two oblique planes. a
b
a b
z x
*5.136 Locate the centroid of the section shown, which was cut from an
elliptical cylinder by an oblique plane. Fig. P5.136