9.

Center of gravity and centroid

• Discuss the concept of center of

gravity, center of mass and centroid
• Show how to determine location
of the center of gravity of bodies
 9.1 Center of gravity, center of mass and centroid of a body
Center of gravity
• A body is composed of an infinite number of particles with a weight dW
• These weights are forming a parallel force system. The resultant of this
force system is the total weight of the body
• The total weight W passes through a single point called the center of
gravity G
 9.1 Center of gravity, center of mass and centroid of a body
Center of gravity

~ ~

∫
~
−
x=
∫ x dW −
y=
∫ y dW −
z=
z dW

∫ dW ∫ dW ∫ dW

Coordinates of the center of gravity G

Coordinates of each particle in the body

 9.1 Center of gravity, center of mass and centroid of a body
Center of mass of a body
• In order to study the dynamic response or accelerated motion of a
body is important to locate the body’s center of mass Cm
• Substitute dW = g dm into the previous equations (g is constant and
cancels out)

~ ~
−
x=
∫ x dm −
y=
∫ y dm

∫ dm ∫ dm
~
−
z=
∫ z dm

∫ dm
 9.1 Center of gravity, center of mass and centroid of a body
Centroid of a volume
• If the body is made from a homogeneous material
its density ρ will be constant
• Therefore, a differential element of volume dV
Has a mass dm = ρ dV
• Substituting dm into the previous equations
(ρ cancels out)
~ ~

− ∫ xdV − ∫ ydV
x=V y=V
∫ dV
V
∫ dV
V
~

− ∫ zdV
z=V
∫ dV
V
 9.1 Center of gravity, center of mass and centroid of a body

Centroid of an area
• The area lies in the x-yplane and is bounded by the curve y = f(x)
• The centroid can be determined from from the integrals below

− ∫ xdA
x= A

∫ dA
A

− ∫ ydA
y= A

∫ dA
A
 9.1 Center of gravity, center of mass and centroid of a body
Centroid of a line
• The area lies in the x-yplane and is bounded by the curve y = f(x)
• The centroid can be determined from from the integrals below
~

− ∫ xdL
x= L

∫ dL
L

− ∫ ydL
y= L

∫ dL
L

dL can be determined from Pythagorean theorem

 Important points

• Centroid represents the geometric center of the

body.
• This point coincides with the center of mass or
center of gravity ONLY if the material composing
the body is uniform or homogeneous