Mathematics possesses not only truth,

but supreme beauty - a beauty cold

and austere, like that of a sculpture.
Bertrand Russell
Center of Gravity
Center of Mass
Volume Centroid
Area Centroid
Curve (line) Centroid

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Center of Gravity

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

The Center of Gravity (CG)
The center of gravity of a body is the point at which one would need
to balance it against the force of gravity so that there is no net G
torque on the body.
It is the point at which all of the weight of an object appears to be W
concentrated.
It is the center of an object's weight distribution, where the force of
gravity can be considered to act.

It is the point in any object about which it is in perfect balance no

matter how it is turned or rotated around that point.

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Methods To Determine The Center Of Gravity
Practical Methods
If we just balance the object using a string or an edge, the
point at which the object is balanced is the center of
gravity.

Hang the object from any point and drop a weighted

string from the same point. Draw a line on the object
along the string. Repeat the procedure from another
point on the object. The center of gravity is the point
where the lines intersect. This procedure works well for
irregularly shaped objects that are hard to balance.

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

NOTICE
For uniform objects, if there is a line of
SYMMETRY, then the center of gravity lies on G
it. The exact location cant immediately be
located

For uniform objects, if there are two or

more lines of SYMMETRY, then the center of G

gravity is located on its intersection

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Analytical Method

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Center of Gravity of a Two Dimensional Body
x G W=  xdw yG W=  ydw

 xdw
yG =
 ydw
xG =
W W

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 Center of Mass of a Two Dimensional Body
x G W=  xdw yG W=  ydw

xG =
 xdw
 ydw
W W=g m yG =
W
dW=g dm
X =∫x d m /m y =∫y d m /m

The Center of Mass coincides with the Center of Gravity

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 Area Centroid
xG =
 xdw
yG =
 ydw
W W

dW=gρt dA W =gρt A

XG =∫x dA /A y
G
=∫y dA /A

The Area Centroid coincides with its Center of Gravity

16MECH01C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Faculty of Engineering
For discrete rigid bodies, the sum is used, where xi, and yi,
represent the coordinates of the center of gravity of the ith
body. z
n

x w i i
xG  i 1
n w2
w
i 1
i
G

z2 w3
w1 zG
n

y w i i z1 y2 z3
yG  i 1
n yG x2 y
w
i 1
i
x
y1 x1
xG
y3 x3

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 n n n

 xi wi y w i i z w i i

Center of gravity xG  i1

n
yG  i1
n
zG  i1
n

w i w
i1
i w
i1
i
i1

Center of mass n n n

the mean location of  ximi  yimi zm i i

xG  i1
n
yG  i1
n zG  i1
n
all the mass in an
object.
M
i1
i m
i1
i m
i1
i

n n n
Volume Centroid  xi Vi  yi Vi z V i i

the geometric center xC  i1

n yC  i1
n zC  i1
n

of the volume V
i1
i V i V i
i1 i1

n n n
Area Centroid  xiA i  yiA i z A i i

the geometric center xG  i1

n
yC  i1
n zC  i1
n

of the area A i A
i1
i A
i1
i
i1

n n n
Line Centroid  xiLi  yiLi zL i i

the geometric center xC  i1

n
yC  i1
n zC  i1
n

of the line L i L i1

i L
i1
i
i1

In driving the above relations, the following is considered

Uniform gravitational field. Thickness of thin plates is uniform
Density is uniform Uniform cross section
17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader
 Centroids of Common Shapes
Examples on Composite Wires

xL i i
xG  i1
n

L
i1
i
Centroids of Common Shapes
Uniform straight wire
L/2 C L/2
Length L  L

Uniform half circles C

Length L  πr 2r
π
r

Uniform quarter circles 2r C

π
π
Length L  r 2r
2
π
r

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Example-1
Determine the centroid of the three uniform wires AB, BC, and CA with respect to the shown
coordinate system. All three wires have the same density and cross section
z

A
4m 3m
C
B y
x

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Solution
z
# L x Lx y Ly z Lz

AB 4 2 8 0 0 0 0
CA 3 0 0 1.5 4.5 0 0
A
BC 5 2 10 1.5 7.5 0 0 CAB(2,0,0) CAC(0,1.5,0)
3m
SUMS
12 18 12 0 4m C
B y
x CBC(2,1.5,0)
n
n
xL i i
18 yL
xG = i=1
= =1.5m
i i
12 z G =0
n
12 yG = i=1
n = =1 m
L
i=1
i
L i
12
i=1

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Example-2
Determine the centroid of the complete quarter circle shown with respect to the x-y
coordinates. All wires have the same density and cross section
y
x

5m 2m
B
4m

C A
4m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Solution y
x
# L x Lx y Ly 2m
BC
5m
4 5 20 -4 -16 B
2r
CA 4 7 28 -6 -24 2m 
4m
AB 6.3 7.55 47.6 -3.45 -21.74 2r
2m
SUMS 
14.3 95.6 -61.74 A
C
n 2m 2m
4m
xL i i
95.6
xG = i=1
n = =6.68m working area
14.3
 Li π
i=1
L r  6.3
n
2
yL i i
-61.74 2r
yG = i=1
n = =-4.32m =2.55m
14.3 π
L
i=1
i

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader
 xC yC A
h xC C b h 1
hb
yC 3 3 2
b

xC C a b
b ab
yC 2 2

xC C r r πr 2

r yC

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 4r
3

C C
4r
3
r r
1 2 1
A πr A  πr 2
2 4

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

EXAMPLE-3
A circle of radius 2 m is removed from the uniform area shown.
Determine the location of its centroid with respect to the x and y
coordinates. y

4m 4m

3m
3m x
3m
9m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Solution y

4m 4m

3m
3m x
3m
9m

Triangle Rectangle Half Circle

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 y
Solution
4m 4m
The Triangle
y 3m 3m x
3m
9m
4m
3m
x
The Rectangle
3m
3m y
2m
9m 4m 4m 4m
Area : A2 =  8  6  =48m2
1 3m
Area : A1=  9 6  =27m2 x x-coordinate : x 2 =0
2

x-coordinate : x1=-4-3=-7m 3m y-coordinate : y 2 =0

y-coordinate : y1=-  3-2  =-1m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 y
Solution
4m 4m

3m 3m x

y 9m
3m

4m y
3m

x 2m x
4r
3m 3

1 1
=-  3.14  2  =-12.6m2
2
A3 = πr 2 =  3.14  3  =14.14m2
2 2
Area : Area : A4 =-πr
2 2
4r 4  3 x-coordinate : x 4 =0
x-coordinate : x 3 =4+ =4+ =5.3m
3π 3π
y-coordinate : y 3 =0 y-coordinate : y 4 =0

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 # A x Ax y Ay

1 27 7 189 1 27
2 48 0 0 0
0
3 5.3 74.94 0 0
14.14
4
12.6 0 0 0 0
SUMS
76.54 114.06 27
n

A y
n

A x i i
114.06 yC = i=1
i i

27
 0.35 m
xC = i=1
  1.5 m n

A
n 76.54
A
76.54 i
i
i=1
i=1

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Example-4
y
Determine the location of
the centroid with respect 2m
to the x and y coordinates
of the uniform area
shown.

3m 2m

x
1m 2m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Solution
y
y 3m

2m 2m

5m

3m
2m 2m

x x
1m 2m 1m 2m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 y

2m

1.5m

# A x Ax y Ay 2.5m
3m 2m
1 2.5
15 1.5
2
x
3
1m 2m
SUMS

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 y
2/3m
1m 2m

# A x Ax y Ay
3m 2m
1 2.5
15 1.5
2
3 1 4.33 x
3
1m 2m
SUMS

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 # A x Ax y Ay y
1 2.5
15 1.5
2m
2
3 1 4.33
3 3.14 2.15 0.85
SUMS

4r
4r 8 3m 3 2m
x3  3   3  2.15
3 3 4r
3 x

1m 2m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

 # A x Ax y Ay
y
1 1.5 2.5
15 22.5 37.5
2
3 1 3 4.33 12.99 2m
3 3.14 2.15 6.75 0.85 2.67
SUMS
8.86 12.75 21.84
n

A x i i
12.75
xC = i=1
  1.44 m 3m
n
2m
 Ai
8.86
i=1

n x
A y i i
21.84
yC = i=1
  2.46 m 1m 2m
n

A
8.86
i
i=1

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Home Work y
Determine the location of the centroids 1m 1.5m 1.5m
with respect to the x and y coordinates 0.5m
of the uniform areas shown. 0.5m
y

3m 4m

3m
1m
3m

3m
y
x
3m
x
1.5m

1m

x
3m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader
The First Theorem
The area of a surface of revolution equals the product of the length of the generating curve
and the distance traveled by the centroid of the curve in generating the surface area

L C
rC

S  LrCθ

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

S  LrCθ
Lh
rC  r h/2
θ  2π r C
S  2rh h/2

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

S  LrCθ
L  πr
rC  2r/π
θ  2π C
2r / π

S  4r 2

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

S  LrCθ
L L
rC  r/2
L/2
θ  2π C
r/2
S  rL L/2

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Example-5
2m
The thin wall tank is fabricated from a
hemisphere and cylindrical shell.
Determine the amount of paint needed
to cover the surface of the open tank.
Assume that a liter of paint covers 10
6m
m2.

2m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Solution
S  LrCθ
First, the cylinder
L6 rC  2 θ  2π
SC  24π
2m 6m
Second, the half sphere
L  πr/2  π rC  4/π θ  2π
SS  8π

S  SC  SS  32π m2
4 /π 2m
L  32π /10  10 liters

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

The Second Theorem
The volume of a body of revolution equals the product of the generating area and the
distance traveled by the centroid of the area in generating the volume

C
A
rC

V  ArCθ

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

V  ArCθ
A  rh
rC  r/2
θ  2π r/2 C
h
V  r h
2

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

V  ArCθ

A  πr 2 /2
rC  4r/3π
C
θ  2π 4r / 3π

4 3
V  r
3

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

V  ArCθ
A  rh/2
rC  r/3
h
θ  2π
r/3
C
1 2
V  r h r
3

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Example-6
2m

Determine the volume of the solid

shown using Pappus theorem

6m

2m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Solution 2m
V  ArCθ z
2m
First, the cylinder
A  12 rC  1 θ  2π
6m
VC  24π
1m
Second, the half sphere 6m
Aπ rC  8/3π θ  2π
2m
16
VS  π
3
4r / 3π

V  VC  VS  92.15 m3

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader

Test your knowledge
Determine the volume of the solid generated by rotating the shown area about the z axis

1m

2.5m

2m

1m

17MECH01C-17MECH03C Dr. Amr Abdel Kader