CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF A

SOLID HEMISPHERE
 Let ABC represent a solid hemisphere.

 Its radius r.

 Its Centre O.

 Its density ρ.
Consider an elementary slice of the

hemisphere

Its radius y.

Its thickness dx.

Its distance x from O.

To determine the volume of the slice:

Volume of the slice = Area × thickness

= π y2 dx
= π (r2-x2) dx → (1)
To determine the mass of the slice:
Density (ρ) = mass (M) / volume (v)
Mass of the slice (dm) = Volume × density

= π (r2-x2) ρ dx → (2)

The distance of the Centre of gravity of the

hemisphere from O is given by
x= ∫ x dm / ∫ dm → (3)
Here,
dm = π (r2-x2) ρ dx
applying the limits in equation → (3)
upper limit → r
lower limit → 0
r r

= ∫ x π (r2-x2) ρ dx / ∫ π (r2-x2) ρ dx
0 0

r r

= ∫ x (r2-x2) dx / ∫ (r2-x2) dx
0 0
 r r

= ∫ (r2 x –x3) dx / ∫ (r2-x2) dx → (4)

0 0
∫xndx= xn+1/n+1

∫ dx= x
Using the formula in equation (4)
r

= [ (r2 x2/2 –x4/4) / (r2x-x3/3) ]

0

= [(r2 r2/2 –r4/4) – ( r2 02/2 –04/4) /

(r2r-r3/3) - (r20-03/3) ]
= [(r2 r2/2 –r4/4) – 0 / (r2r-r3/3) – 0 ]

= (r4 /2 –r4/4) / (r3 - r3/3)

Xm × xn = xm+n
= [ (2r4 –r4/4) / (3r3 - r3/3) ] Xm / xn = xm - n

= [ (r4/4) / (2r3 /3) ]

= [ (r4/4) × (3 / 2r3) ]
 = [ (r/4) × (3 / 2) ]

= [ 3/8 r ]
Hence, the Centre of gravity of the hemisphere is on its axis
at a distance of 3/8 r from the Centre.