centre of mass COPY Flashcards
what is the centre of mass of an object
the centre of mass of an object is the point at which the mass of the object may be thought to be concentrated.
describe how to find the centre of mass of a thin irregular sheet of a material
Drill a small hole in the object and hang it up so that it is free to swing without obstruction. Hang a plumb line (a piece of string with a weight hanging from it) from the same suspension point. This lets you mark the vertical line directly below the suspension point. Drill another hole at a different location within the object. Again hang a plumb line to determine the vertical and mark it on. The point at which the two marked lines cross is the centre of mass.
where will a freely suspended object’s centre of mass be when it comes to rest
if freely suspended, an object will come to rest with its centre of mass directly below the point of suspension.
where is the centre of mass of a symmetrical object
the centre of mass of a symmetrical object is along the axis of symmetry
