ME 211

MECHANICS OF MATERIALS - I

Introduction
 Center of Mass/Gravity

•A solid body is made up of a number of

tightly held particles
• Each particle has a certain mass
• Under the influence of gravity, each
particle has some weight
• The mass and hence the weight of a body
is the combination and resultant of the
mass and weight of all constituent
particles
Center of Mass/Gravity
Center of Mass/Gravity
 Center of Mass/Gravity

• In mechanics center of gravity usually

coincides with center of mass
• The weight of a body is the sum of the
weights of its constituent particles
• The weight of a body acts vertically
downwards (towards the source of the
gravitational field) through a fixed point in the
body called the center of gravity
• The center of gravity is independent of the
orientation of the body
 Center of Mass/Gravity

• The terms "center of mass" and "center of gravity"

are used synonymously in a uniform gravity field to
represent the unique point in an object or system
which can be used to describe the system's
response to external forces and torques
• The concept of the center of mass is that of an
average of the masses factored by their distances
from a reference point
• In one plane, this is like the balancing of a seesaw
about a pivot point with respect to the torques
produced
 Center of Mass/Gravity

If you are making measurements from the center of mass point for a two-
mass system then the center of mass condition can be expressed as:

where r1 and r2 locate the masses. The center of mass lies on the line
connecting the two masses
 Center of Mass for Particles

The center of mass is the point at which all the mass can be considered to be
"concentrated" for the purpose of calculating the "first moment", i.e., mass times
distance
For two masses this distance is calculated from:

For the more general collection of N particles this becomes:

and when extended to three dimensions:

𝑹𝒄𝒎 = 𝒙𝒄𝒎, 𝒚𝒄𝒎, 𝒛𝒄𝒎,

෡
𝑹𝒄𝒎 = 𝒙𝒄𝒎 𝒊Ƹ + 𝒚𝒄𝒎 𝒋Ƹ + 𝒛𝒄𝒎 𝒌
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles

• Consider a system formed by two point particles of

masses m1 and m2 located at positions 𝑟Ԧ1 and 𝑟Ԧ2 measured with respect
to point Q as shown in the figure below.
• The position of the center of mass with respect to the coordinate system
with origin at point Q is obtained as:
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 1
Consider a 2 particle system of masses m1 and m2 , with m1 = 2 m2 . The
masses are separated by a distance d.
(a) What is the position of the center of mass of the system with respect to
a coordinate system in which origin is located at particle 1 and particle 2 is
in the +X-axis.
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 1(a) - Solution
In the coordinate system with origin in
particle 1, the positions of particles 1 and 2
are written as:

Then, the position of the center of mass is:

The center of mass, red cross

in the figure, is located along
the line joining both masses
at a distance d/3 from particle
1, the more massive particle.
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 1
Consider a 2 particle system of masses m1 and m2 , with m1 = 2 m2 . The
masses are separated by a distance d.
(b) What will be your answer if the origin of the coordinate system is in
particle 2?
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 1(b) - Solution
The position vectors of the two particles
measured from the new coordinate system:

Then, the position of the center of mass is:

Comparing the above result,

with the answer obtained in
part (a):

We conclude that the position

of the center of mass
depends on the coordinate
system used but its distance
relative to particle 1 is still d/3
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 2
Two thin and uniform rods of length d and mass M are connected to form
an L-shaped rigid object. A uniform hoop of mass m1 and a uniform disk of
mass m2 are glued to the L-shaped object in such a way that their centers
coincide with the free ends of the rods as shown.

Calculate the center of mass of the 2 rods-hoop-disk system with respect to a

coordinate system with origin at point Q.
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 2 - Solution
1. Select a coordinate system:
In this problem we are asked to use a coordinate system with origin at the vertex of
the L-shaped object. We will pick the orientation of the coordinate system in such a
way that the rods coincides with the x and y axis as shown below:
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 2 - Solution
2. Point particle approximation:
We represent the extended objects in the system as point particles with their masses
concentrated at their center of mass. The rods, the disk and the hoop have their
masses uniformly distributed, therefore their geometrical centers are their
center of mass. The extended objects are represented as point particles in the figure
below:
 Center of Mass for a
system of two Particles
Example 2 - Solution
3. Calculate the center of mass:
As shown below, the advantage of picking this coordinate system is to have all the
particles contained in one of the axis, therefore their positions vectors only have one
component:
 Center of Mass of
a set of Particles in a Plane
 Center of Mass of
a set of Particles in a Plane
 Center of Gravity of
a set of Particles in a Plane

• Using the principle of balancing moments:

 (S m ) x = S (mi xi)
 (S m ) y = S (mi yi)
 (S m ) Rcm = S (mi ri)
 Example

• Consider an example of 3 particles lying in a

plane:
• m1 = 2 kg; x1 = 2, y1 = 3 ; r1 = 2i + 3j
• m2 = 5 kg; x2 = 3, y2 = -1 ; r2 = 3i - j
• m3 = 3 kg ; x3 = -2, y3 = 5 ; r3 = -2i + 5j
• (S m ) Rcm = S (mi ri)
• Rcm = (13i + 16j)/10
 Center of Mass for a
system of N Particles

The concept of center of mass can be extended to a system

of N particles with masses m1, m2,...mN located at the positions
 Center of Mass of a Rigid Object

A rigid object can be thought as a system containing a very large

number of particles and the summation of the expression above
becomes an integral over the continuous distribution of mass:

where M is the total mass of the object.

To obtain the position of the center of mass of a rigid object it is necessary to
know how is the mass distributed in volume and then solve three integrals,
one for each component of the position vector:
 Center of Mass of a Rigid Object
Example - 3
(a) Uniform rod: Show that if a rod of total mass M and length L has its mass
uniformly distributed then is center of mass is located at the midpoint between its
ends.
 Center of Mass of a Rigid Object
Example – 3(a) - Solution
1. Select a coordinate system: Let's consider the rod to be along the x-axis. We will
choose a coordinate system with origin at the left end of the rod.
2. Divide the extended object in small elements of mass dm: The rod can be thought
to be formed by a continuous distribution of small particles of mass dm. Each of these
particles are occupying a given volume inside the object (In the case of this problem,
where the rod is assumed to be thin, a particle occupies an element of the rod of
length dx)
3. Define the position of the mass element dm: With respect to our coordinate
system, the element of mass dm is located at position:
 Center of Mass of a Rigid Object
Example – 3(a) – Solution (contd.)
4. In the case of the thin rod, all the mass is distributed along the x-axis, therefore the position
of the center of mass is also along the x-axis:

We need to find the relationship between dm and x. In this problem, the mass is
distributed uniformly along the rod, i.e., the amount of mass dm in each element of
rod dx is the same and independent of the position. The ratio dm/dx is called mass
density per unit length and is noted with the letter λ where λ = dm/dx.
Using this relationship in the integral above we have:

To obtain the value of λ we use the fact that the total mass and the length of the rod
are M and L, then:

5. Solve the integral. Replacing λ = M/L in (eq. 1) we obtain:

 Center of Mass of a Rigid Object
Example - 3
(b) Non-Uniform rod: Consider a rod of total mass M and length L along the x-axis.
Calculate the center of mass of the rod if its mass per unit length depends linearly
with x.
 Center of Mass of a Rigid Object
Example – 3(b) - Solution
1. Select a coordinate system: Let's consider the rod to be along the x-axis. We will
choose a coordinate system with origin at the left end of the rod.
2. Divide the extended object in small elements of mass dm.
3. Define the position of the mass element dm.
With respect to our coordinate system, the element of mass dm is located at position:

4. Use the information about the mass

distribution.
The mass is distributed along a line:

The mass is not uniformly distributed,

because the mass density increases
linearly with position, .i.e.,

where b is a positive constant.

 Center of Mass of a Rigid Object
Example – 3(b) - Solution (contd.)
5. Solve the integral.
Using this relationship in the integral above we have:
 Composite Bodies

• For bodies made up of standard parts of

known weights and centers of gravity, the
principle of moments can be used in the same
way as in the set of particles
• The center of gravity of a uniform body lies on
each line of symmetry that the body
possesses
• Squares, Rectangles etc
 Example 1

• Consider a uniform lamina made from a square

of length a cm and an equilateral triangle of
sides a cm.
• Find the center of gravity of the lamina
• Hint: Since the lamina is symmetric about one
axis, its CG lies on that axis
 Example 1

• Dividing the lamina into two components, determine the

weight of the two constituents assuming uniform density
• If the lamina weights w kg, and since the lamina is uniform
in thickness, r = w/A
• Weight of square = r a2;
• CG = a/2
• Weight of triangle = [√3/4][r a2] ;
• CG = [1 + √3/6]a
• Weight of lamina = [1 + √3/4] r a2; CG = x

• x = a[5 + 2 √3]/(8 + 2 √3)

 Example 2

• Find the X-coordinate of the CG of a uniform

parabolic sheet metal where the parabola is
bound in the first quadrant and defined as
• y2 = 1-x
• (S m ) x = S (mi xi)
• A x = ∫01 xy dx
• x = 2/5
 Assignment 1

• Find the y coordinate of the CG of a

uniform parabolic sheet metal where the
parabola is bound in the first quadrant and
defined as
• y2 = 1-x
• Ans: y = 3/8 units
• x = 2/5
 Example 3

• Find the CG of a uniform density right circular

cone having a base radius R and height H.
 Example 3
Solution

dh

X
 Example 3
Solution
𝑟
tan 𝜃 =
ℎ
𝑟 = ℎ tan 𝜃
The volume of the element = 𝜋ℎ2 𝑡𝑎𝑛2 𝜃𝑑ℎ

The mass of the element = dm = 𝜌𝜋ℎ2 𝑡𝑎𝑛2 𝜃𝑑ℎ

The center of gravity of a right solid cone lies along

the X-axis and is given by
𝐻 𝐻 𝐻
‫׬‬0 ℎ𝑑𝑚 ‫׬‬0 𝜌𝜋ℎ3 𝑡𝑎𝑛2 𝜃𝑑ℎ ‫׬‬0 ℎ3 𝑑ℎ
3𝐻
𝑋𝑐𝑚 = 𝐻 = 𝐻 = 𝐻 =
‫׬‬0 𝑑𝑚 2 2 2
‫׬‬0 𝜌𝜋ℎ 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜃𝑑ℎ ‫׬‬0 ℎ 𝑑ℎ 4
 Assignment 2

• A uniform block is in the form of a square

ABCD of sides 2 m and a certain thickness. E is
a point on AD such that ED = x m. The portion
EDC is then removed from the block. What is
the maximum value of x such that the block
will not topple.
 Example 4

• A uniform lamina is in the form of a

rectangle ABCD where AB = 2a and BC =
4a. E and F are points such that BE = AF =
a. H and J are mid points of EF and CD. A
cut is made along lines EH and HJ such
that an L shaped section remains. Find the
center of gravity of the resulting body.
Example 4
- Solution -