EE101

Calculus and Analytical

Geometry 2

Moments
and Center
of Mass

ngcy@ucsiuniversity.ed
u.my

m x

x
m
k

x system' s centre of mass

If the system balances at the fulcrum, x distance away from origin, then
moment about the fulcrum must be equal to zero.
moments about fulcrum on LHS = moments about fulcrum on RHS.

x3
X3

m1 g ( x x1 ) m2 g ( x x 2 ) m3 g ( x3 x )
m1 x m1 x1 m2 x m2 x 2 m3 x3 m3 x
m1 x m2 x m3 x m1 x1 m2 x 2 m3 x3
x (m1 m2 m3 ) m1 x1 m2 x 2 m3 x3
x
x

(m1 x1 m2 x 2 m3 x3 )
(m1 m2 m3 )

moment about origin

mass

For the case of constant density, ,

Moment about the origin:

M o x dx
a

Mass:

dx
a

Centre of mass:

Mo
M

Example 1:
The 10m long rod thickens from left to right so that its density
is non constant. Find the rods center of mass.
b

M o x dx
a

dx
a

Mo

x
( x) 1
10

kg.m

Center of mass

lets suppose that the plate is the region bounded by the

two curves and on the interval [a,b]. So, we want to find
the center of mass of the region below.

Moments of Bounded Area

Mass
(M)
- constant
density

Equations of Center of mass

Mass

Moment
( in terms of xs
and ys
coordinates)

Center of Mass Coordinates

The coordinates of the center of mass, , are then,

Example 1

Determine the center of mass for the

region bounded by
, y = 0 on the
interval . Given that the density d(x) is
constant.

Determine the center of mass for the region

bounded by , y = 0 on the interval . Given that the
density d(x) is constant.

Center of Mass Coordinates

The coordinates of the center of mass, , are then,

Example 2

Determine the center of mass for the

region bounded by and .

EXAMPLE 3

Find center of mass of a thin plate of given density

covering the following region:
and , constant density.

Example 4 - Density is not

constant
Find

the center of mass of a thin plate covering the

region between the X-axis and the curve , 1<x<2, if
the plates density at the point ( x, y) is .

Example 5

Find center of mass of a thin plate of given density covering

the region, , x-axis, , density function,
2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

5.5

THANK YOU