NOTE

P H Y S I C S

CENTRE OF MASS
COM OF SYMMETRIC BODIES

What you already know What you will learn

• Introduction to COM • Problems based on finding COM

• COM of the system of discrete • Mass density: Linear, areal, volumetric
particles • COM of symmetric bodies

Example

If a particle of mass 4 kg is shifted by 5 m towards

the right, then by what distance another particle Csystem
of mass 2 kg should be shifted so that the centre 2 kg 4 kg
of mass for the given system will remain at its
x 5m
initial position?

Solution

Assume that the COM of the system is at

distances x1 and x2 from the particles of masses Csystem
2 kg and 4 kg, respectively, as shown in the
figure. 2 kg 2 kg 4 kg 4 kg
⇒ 2x1 = 4x2 ......(i) x x1 x2 5m
In the new case, the particle of mass 4 kg is
shifted towards the right by 5 m. In order to x1'= x + x1 x=
'
2 x2 + 5
keep the COM at the same position as before,
the particle of mass 2 kg is to be shifted towards
the left. Let this distance be x.
⇒ 2(x1+ x) = 4(x2 + 5)
⇒ 2x1+2x = 4x2 + 20
Putting the value of 2x1 from equation (i),
4x2 + 2x = 4x2 + 20
2x = 4x2 + 20 − 4x2
x = 10 m

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 02

Alternatively,
m1 x1 + m2 x2
xC =
m1 + m2

Or,

( m1 + m2 ) xC =m1 x1 + m2 x2
Taking differential on both sides we get,

( m1 + m2 ) dxC =m1dx1 + m2dx2

⇒ m1dx1 + m2dx2 =
0

⇒ ( 4 × 5) + 2dx2 =
0

⇒ dx2 =
−10 m

Earlier, we have assumed that the particle of mass 2 kg is required to shift towards the left so that
the COM remains stationary. Hence, the value of x obtained was positive.

Example

If the particle of mass 4 kg is shifted by 4 m

towards the right, then by what distance the Csystem
particle of mass 2 kg should be shifted so that the 2 kg 2 kg
center of mass will shift by 1 m towards the right? 4m

Solution

The differential of the expression of COM is,

(m1 + m2)dxC = m1dx1 + m2dx2
⇒ (4 + 2)(+1) = (4 × 4) + 2dx2 Csystem
⇒2dx2 = −10 2 kg 2 kg 4 kg 4 kg
1m
⇒dx2 = −5 m 5m 4m
Thus, the particle of mass 2 kg should be shifted
5 m towards the left as shown in the figure.

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 03

Example

The position vector of three particles of masses m1 = 1 kg, m2 = 2 kg, and m3 = 3 kg are given by,

( )

( )
( )
r1 = iˆ + 4 ˆj + kˆ m, r2 = iˆ + ˆj + kˆ m, and r3 = 2iˆ − ˆj − 2kˆ m respectively. Find the position vector of

their centre of mass.

Solution

The position vector of the centre of mass of the system of the given particles is,
  
 m1r1 + m2r2 + m3r3
rC =
m1 + m2 + m3

(1) ( iˆ + 4 ˆj + kˆ ) + (2) ( iˆ + ) (
ˆj + kˆ + (3) 2iˆ − ˆj − 2kˆ )
=
1 +2 + 3

9iˆ + 3 ˆj − 3kˆ
=
6
Or,
or,
 1
rr=
=
C
C 2
2
3 (
1 ˆ ˆ ˆ
3iiˆ + − kkˆ
+ ˆjj − )

Example

m
If three identical balls of mass m are placed at the
vertices of an equilateral triangle of side length a
a a
as shown in the figure, then find out the centre of
mass for the system.

m m x
a

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Solution

The particles are situated at the following vertices:

i. Mass, m: (0, 0)
ii. Mass, m: (a, 0)
 a 3a 
iii. Mass, m: (a cos 60°, a sin 60°) or  , 
2 2   a 3a 
The x-coordinate of centre of mass is, y  , 
2 2 
m1 x1 + m2 x2 + m3 x3
xC =
m1 + m2 + m3
m
a
m (0) + m ( a ) + m  
= 2
a 3a a
m+m+m
2
a ( 0, 0)
3m   600
= 2
m m x
3m a
a 2 (a, 0)
⇒ xC =
2
The y-coordinate of centre of mass is,
m1 y1 + m2 y2 + m3 y3
yC =
m1 + m2 + m3

 3a 
m ( 0) + m ( 0) + m  
 2 
=
m+m+m

 3a 
m  
 2 
=
3m
a
⇒ yC =
2 3

a a 
Hence, the coordinates of the center of mass of the given system is  , .
2 2 3

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 05

Example

1 kg 2 kg
If four particles of masses 1 kg, 2 kg, 3 kg, and 4 kg
are placed at the four vertices of a square of side
1 m as shown in the figure, then find out the centre
1m
of mass of the system of particles.

4 kg 3 kg x
1m

Solution

The particles are situated at the following vertices:

i. Mass, 4 kg: (0, 0)
ii. Mass, 3 kg: (1, 0)
iii. Mass, 1 kg: (0, 1)
iv. Mass, 2 kg: (1, 1)
x -coordinate of the center of mass is,

xC =
∑m x i i

∑m i

4×0 + 3×1 + 1×0 + 2×1

=
4+3+1+2
5
⇒ xC =
10
y -coordinate of the center of mass is,

yC =
∑m y i i

∑m i

4×0 + 3 × 0 + 1 × 1 + 2 × 1
=
4+3+1+2
3
⇒ yC =
10
 5 3 
Hence, the coordinates of the COM of the given system is  , .
 10 10 

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 06

Example
y

m m
If four balls of mass m and another four balls of 2m 2m
mass 2m are placed on the vertices of a cube of
side length a as shown in the figure, then find the
center of mass for the given system. m m x

2m 2m

Solution
y

(0, a, 0) 4 (a, a, 0)
m m
3
The particles are numbered as shown in the (0, a, a) 2m 2m
figure, and their masses and coordinates are as 5 6
per the following table: (a, 0, 0)
m 1 m x
(0,0,0) 2m 2
(0, 0, a) 2m
8 7
z

Particle Mass xi yi zi

1 m 0 0 0

2 m a 0 0

3 m a a 0

4 m 0 a 0

5 2m 0 a a

6 2m a a a

7 2m a 0 a

8 2m 0 0 a

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The x -coordinate of the center of mass is,

xC =
∑m x i i

∑m i

ma + ma + 2ma + 2ma
=
12m
a
⇒ xC =
2
The y -coordinate of the center of mass is,

yC =
∑m y i i

∑m i

ma + ma + 2ma + 2ma
=
12m
a
⇒ yC =
2
The z -coordinate of the center of mass is,

zC =
∑m x i i

∑m i

2ma + 2ma + 2ma + 2ma

=
12m
2a
⇒ zC =
3
 a a 2a 
Hence, the coordinates of the COM of the given system is  , ,  .
2 2 3 

Example

y
m

If five particles of mass m are placed on the

vertices of a square pyramid of side length a and a a
height a as shown in the figure, then find out the m m
x
centre of mass for the given system.
a
a
m m
a
z

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Solution

All of the particles have the same mass m. Of which, four are coplanar and situated on the vertices
of the square of side length a. The remaining particle is at perpendicular distance a in the +y
direction from the centre of the square.
y
a a
,a,
m  2 2 

a a (a, 0, 0)
(0, 0, 0) m
m x

a a a
(0, 0, a) a
 ,a, 
 2 2 (a, 0, a,)
m m
a
z

The coordinates of the centre of the square is,

( a,0,0) + (0,0, a ) =  a ,0, a 
2 2 2  .

Hence, the coordinates of the fifth particle is,
a a a a
 2 ,0, 2  + ( 0, a ,0) =
 2 , a, 2  .
   
The particles in the given problem are situated at following vertices:
i. Mass, m: (0, 0, 0)
ii. Mass, m: (a, 0, 0)
iii. Mass, m: (a, 0, a)
iv. Mass, m: (0, 0, a)
a a
v.Mass, m:  , a, 
 2 2
Instead of finding each coordinate separately, we can calculate them together as shown below.
m1 ( x1 , y1 , z1 ) + m2 ( x2 , y2 , z2 ) + m3 ( x3 , y3 , z3 ) + m4 ( x 4 , y4 , z4 ) + m5 ( x5 , y5 , z5 )
COM =
m1 + m2 + m3 + m4 + m5

 a a 
m ( 0, 0, 0) + ( a, 0, 0) + ( a, 0, a ) + ( 0, 0, a ) +  , a,  
2 2 
= 
5m
1  5a 5a  
=  , a,  
5  2 2 

a a a
= , , 
2 5 2

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 09

MAIN
Centre of Mass (COM) of Symmetric Bodies

• The center of mass of symmetric bodies having uniform mass distribution coincides with the
centre of symmetry (i.e., rod, ring, disc, square, sphere).
• The centre of mass of a distribution can be situated outside the physical body also (i.e., ring,
hollow sphere).
Mass density is a scalar quantity, which can be classified in three ways depending on the orientation
of the distribution in a 3D space.

Linear mass density Areal mass density Volume mass density

It is defined as the amount of It is defined as the amount of It is defined as the amount of
mass per unit length. mass per unit area. mass per unit volume.
It is defined for 1D distribution. It is defined for 2D distribution. It is defined for 3D distribution.
It is represented by the greek It is represented by the greek It is represented by the greek
alphabet λ. alphabet σ. alphabet ρ.
Its SI unit is kg m−1. Its SI unit is kg m−2. Its SI unit is kg m−3.

Some examples of mass densities of various distributions are listed below.

Linear Distributions

Linear mass
Shape Length Mass
density

L λ L λL

Uniform rod

R
λ 2πR λ(2πR)

Uniform ring

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Areal Distributions

Shape Areal mass density Surface area Mass

R
σ πR2 σπR2

Uniform disc

R
σ 4πR2 σ(4πR2)

Hollow sphere

R
L σ 2πRL σ(2πRL)

Hollow cylinder

σ L2 σL2

L
Square lamina

h 1 1 
σ bh σ  bh 
2 2 
b
Triangular lamina

L
σ πRL σπRL
R

Hollow cone

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Volume Distributions

Volume mass
Shape Volume Mass
density

R 4 3 4 3
ρ πR ρ  πR 
3 3 

Solid sphere

R L ρ πR2L ρπR2L

Solid cylinder

H 1 2 1
ρ πR H πρ R 2H
R 3 3

Solid cone

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