Centre Of Mass

Question 1

What is the centre of mass

Answer 1

The point of which all the mass of an object seems to be concentrated is called its centre of mass

Question 2

Suspended equilibrium (suspend then release)

Answer 2

If you suspend an object and then release it , it will sooner or later come to rest with its centre of mass directly below the point of suspension. The object is in equilibrium (at rest) since it exerts no overall turning effect

Question 3

Suspended equilibrium (turned then released)

Answer 3

Swing back to the equilibrium position. You would say that the object is freely suspended if it returns to its equilibrium position after the turning force is taken away

Question 4

Where is the Centre of mass of a symmetrical object

Answer 4

Its centre of mass is where the axes of symmetry meet

Question 5

Key conditions for an object to be in equilibrium are

Answer 5

Resultant force =0

Forces acting on the object has to have no overall turning effect

Question 6

What is Equlibrium

Answer 6

a state in which opposing forces are balanced.

Question 7

To work out whether or not an object is in equilibrium

Answer 7

If the line of action are parrallel, the sum of forces in one direction must be equal to the force on the opposite direction. This means that the resultant force = 0

If the lines of action of the forces are not parrallel, the forces can be resolved into two components along the same perpendicular lines. The components along each line must balance out if the resultant force is zero

Question 8

Experiment technique to find centre of mass

Answer 8

An experimental method for locating the center of mass is to suspend the object from two locations and to drop plumb lines from the suspension points. The intersection of the two lines is the center of mass.