Objectives

To discuss the concept of the

center of gravity, center of mass,
and centroids (centers of area).
To show how to determine the
location of the center of gravity
and centroid for a system of
particles and a body of arbitrary
shape.
Center of Gravity
The center of gravity G is a point which locates the
resultant weight of a system of particles.

The weights of the particles is considered to be a

parallel force system. The system of weights can be
replaced by a single weight acting at the Center of
Gravity.
 n
WR  Wi Total Weight
i 1

x location:
~ ~ ~ ~
x R WR  x1 W1  x2 W2  x3 W3   xn Wn

y location:
~ ~ ~ ~
y R WR y1 W1  y 2 W2  y 3 W3   y n Wn

z location:
~ ~ ~ ~
z R WR  z1 W1  z2 W2  z3 W3   zn Wn
 n n n
~x W ~ ~z W
 i i  y i Wi  i i
x  i 1n y  i 1n z  i 1n
W
i 1
i W
i 1
i W
i 1
i

x, y , z coordinates of the center of gravity

~x , ~
y , ~z coordinates of the i th particle
i i i

Wi weight of the i th particle

Center of Mass
n n n
~x m ~ ~z m
 i i  y im i  i i
x  i 1n y  i 1n z  i 1n
m
i 1
i m
i 1
i m
i 1
i

x, y , z coordinates of the center of mass

~x , ~
y , ~z coordinates of the i th particle
i i i

Wi mass of the i th particle

Center of Gravity and
Centroid for a Body

Consider a body to be a system of

an infinite number of particles
   
~x W ~ ~z W
 i i  y i Wi  i i
x  i 1 y  i 1 z  i 1
W
i 1
i W
i 1
i W
i 1
i

x, y , z coordinates of the center of gravity

~x , ~
y , ~z coordinates of the i th particle
i i i

Wi weight of the i th particle

 ~x dW ~ ~z dW
x
 y
y dW z

dW dW dW

  specific weight of the body

The weight per unit volume 
d W  d V
 Center of Gravity of a Body

~x dV ~ ~z dV
 y dV 
x V y V z V
dV
V
dV
V
dV
V
CENTROID
The centroid C is a point which defines the
geometric center of an object. Its location can
be determined by formulas similar to those
used for center of gravity or center of mass.
 Centroid of a Volume

~x dV ~ ~z dV
 y dV 
x V y V z V
dV
V
dV
V
dV
V
 Centroid of an Area

~x dA ~ ~z dA
 y dA 
x A y A z A
dA
A
dA
A
dA
A
 Centroid of a Line

~x dL ~ ~z dL
 y dL 
x L y L z L
dL
L
dL
L
dL
L
PROBLEM
dL  dx   dy 
2 2

 2 
  dx  
dL     1  dy
  dy  
 
2
x y
dx
2 y
dy

dL  2y   1  dy
2

 
 1
~xdL  2y  2
 1  dy
  x
 
x L  0
1
dL   2y 
2
 1  dy
L
0
 
2
x y

y  4y  1 dy 0.6063
1
2 2

x 0
 0.410 m
 4y  1 dy
1
2 1.479
0
 1
~ y  2y  2
 1  dy
y dL  
0
y L  1
dL  2y 
2
 1  dy
L  
0
1
 2

y 4 y  1 dy 0.8484
0
y  0.574 m
 4 y  1 dy
1
2 1.479
0
PROBLEM
  
2 2

xdL
 R cos Rd R 2 cos d
2R
x L
 0

 0


dL 2 2 
L Rd
0
R d
0

 
2 2

ydL
 R sin Rd R 2 sin d
2R
y L
 0

 0


dL 2 2 
L Rd
0
R d
0
 y

y = (h/b) (b - x)

b
Strip Method
dA x dy
b
dA  h  y dy
h
~x  1  b h  y 
2h 
~
y y
 h
~ b 
y dA  y  h  y  dy
h 
y A
 h0

 dA



b
h  y 
 dy
A
0
h 
1 2
bh
6 h
y 
1 3
bh
2
 h
1 b   b 
 x dA   h  y   h  y  dy
2 h  h 
x A
 0
h
 dA



b
h  y  
 dy
A
0
h 
1 2
b h
6 b
x 
1 3
b h
2
PROBLEM
Composite Bodies
Composite Bodies

If a body is made up of several simpler

bodies then a special technique can be used.
Procedure
Divide body into several subparts.
If the body has a hole or cutout,
treat that as negative area.
Centroid will lie on line of
symmetry.
Create Table and calculate
centroid.
 n n n
~x A ~ ~z A
 i i  yi Ai  i i
x  i 1n y  i 1n z  i 1n
A
i 1
i A
i 1
i A
i 1
i

x, y , z coordinates of the center of gravity

~x , ~
y , ~z coordinates of the i th particle
i i i

Wi weight of the i th particle

Body Area xc yc xc A yc A
 1 ft 3 ft

1 ft

2 ft 3 ft

Locate Centroid of the Composite Area

 1 ft 3 ft

2 1
1 ft 3

2 ft 3 ft
Segment A (ft2) x y xA yA
1 4.5 1 1 4.5 4.5
2 6 -1 1.5 -6 9
3 1 -2.5 0.5 -2.5 0.5

 A = 11.5  xA = -4  xA = 14

~xA
x 
4
 0.348 ft
 A 11 .5
~
y
 yA

14
1.22 ft
 A 11 .5
 3
3 ft

2 1
1 ft
1 ft 2 ft 3 ft
Segement A (ft2) x y xA yA
1 4.5 1 1 4.5 4.5
2 9 -1.5 1.5 -13.5 13.5
3 -2.5 -2.5 2 5 -4

 A = 11.5  xA = -4  xA = 14

~xA
x 
4
 0.348 ft
 A 11 .5
~
y
 yA

14
1.22 ft
 A 11 .5
9.55
1 in

1 in

1 in 1 in

3 in
9.55
1 in

1 in 2
3

1
5
1 in 4 1 in

3 in

Break into sub-areas

Segment Area x y xA yA
1.00000 1.00000 0.50000 0.50000 0.50000 0.50000
2.00000 1.00000 0.50000 1.50000 0.50000 1.50000
3.00000 1.50000 2.00000 1.33333 3.00000 2.00000
4.00000 3.00000 2.50000 0.50000 7.50000 1.50000
5.00000 -0.78540 0.42441 0.42441 -0.33333 -0.33333

5.71460 11.16667 5.16667

x= 1.95406
y= 0.90412
9.55
1 in

3
1 in
1

1 in 1 in
2

3 in
9.55
1 in

3
1 in
1

1 in 1 in
2

3 in
9.55
1 in

3
1 in
1

1 in 1 in
2

3 in
Segment Area x y xA yA
1 8 2 1 16 8
2 -0.7854 0.424413 0.424413 -0.33333 -0.33333
3 -1.5 3 1.666667 -4.5 -2.5

5.714602 11.16667 5.166667

x= 1.954059
y= 0.904117
 1
A  bh
2
h
y
3
h
y