KAMPALA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES

ENGINEERING MECHANICS
GROUP C
CENTRE OF GRAVITY
Centre of gravity of an object is the point where the weight of the object is considered
to be concentrated.
Every body has one and only one centre of gravity.

Several factors influence the center of gravity of an object:

Shape and Geometry:The shape of the object plays a crucial role. Symmetrical objects
have their center of gravity at the geometric center, while asymmetrical objects have it
located off-center.
Mass Distribution:The distribution of mass within the object affects the center of
gravity. If more mass is concentrated in one area, the center of gravity will be closer to
that area.
Material Density:Different materials have different densities. An object made of
materials with varying densities will have its center of gravity shifted towards the
denser material.
Orientation:The orientation of the object can change its center of gravity. For example,
a standing cylinder has a different center of gravity compared to when it is lying on its
side.
External Forces:External forces, such as gravity acting on different parts of the object,
can influence the center of gravity. This is particularly important in dynamic situations
like moving vehicles or flying aircraft.

Understanding these factors is essential for applications in engineering, design, and

physics to ensure stability and balance in structures and objects.

In a symmetrically shaped object formed of homogeneous material, the centre of

gravity may match the body's geometric centre

An asymmetrical object composed of various materials with different masses is likely to

have its centre of gravity located at some distance away from its geometric centre

In hollow bodies, the centre of gravity lies at a point external to the physical material

Determining centre of gravity for different bodies.

When determining the centre of gravity, one should consider how the mass and weight
are distributed throughout the body

A) Determining centre of gravity for symmetrical bodies

⚫ For a simple shaped body, centre of gravity can be determined by the following
ways
When we balance the object with the help of a string or an edge, the point at which the
object balances is the centre of gravity.

⚫ Another physical procedure used to determine centre f gravity is as follows;

Materials needed
⚫ A symmetrical object e.g., a cardboard cutout of a triangle, rectangle, or circle
⚫ A piece of string
⚫ A small weight
⚫ A pencil
⚫ A ruler
⚫ Tape

Steps:
⚫ Cut out your symmetrical object from a piece of cardboard or thick paper.
⚫ Tape one end of the string to the top of the object.
⚫ Attach the small weight to the other end of the string. This will act as a plumb line.
⚫ Hang the object from a point on its edge using the string to find the first balance
point.
⚫ Let the object hang freely and come to rest.
⚫ Use the pencil to draw a vertical line along the string on the object.
⚫ Find the Second Balance Point by repeating the process of hanging the object from
a different point on its edge.
⚫ Draw another vertical line along the string.
⚫ Determine the Center of Gravity:
⚫ The point where the two lines intersect is the center of gravity of the object.

Explanation:
By hanging the object and drawing lines from different points, you can find the exact
spot where these lines intersect, indicating the center of gravity.

This method works well for symmetrical objects because their weight is evenly
distributed, making it easier to find the balance points

B) Determining centre of gravity of asymmetrical bodies

Materials Needed:
⚫ An asymmetrical object e.g., an irregularly shaped piece of cardboard
⚫ A piece of string
⚫ A small weight (like a washer or a paperclip)
⚫ A pencil
⚫ A ruler
⚫ Tape
Steps:
⚫ Cut out your asymmetrical object from a piece of cardboard or thick paper
⚫ Tape one end of the string to the top of the object.
⚫ Attach the small weight to the other end of the string to act as a plumb line.
⚫ Hang the object from a point on its edge using the string.
⚫ Let the object hang freely and come to rest.
⚫ Use the pencil to draw a vertical line along the string on the object
⚫ Find Additional Balance Points by Repeating the process by hanging the object from
different points on its edge.
⚫ Draw a vertical line along the string each time.
⚫ Determine the Center of Gravity:
⚫ The point where all the lines intersect is the center of gravity of the object.

Explanation:
 By hanging the object and drawing lines from different points, you can find the exact
spot where these lines intersect, indicating the center of gravity.

This method works well for asymmetrical objects because it accounts for the uneven
distribution of mass.

Calculating centre of gravity

General formula for centre of gravity

Consider a system of particles of weight m1, m2,……..mn located at points with coordinates
(x1,y1), (x2,y2), (xn,yn) in the x-y plane.
⚫ Add up all the individual masses to get the total mass M
⚫ Calculate the moments about each axis
⚫ For example; the x-axis, calculate the sum of the products of each mass and its
respective x coordinate
Eg moment about the x-axis = m1.x1
⚫ Divide the moments by the total mass
⚫ The result is the respective coordinate for the centre of gravity in the system
For each axis, the formula is given by;

∑ 𝑚𝑥
x=
𝑀

∑ 𝑚𝑦
𝑦=
𝑀

For a composite body

A composite body contains a series of connected bodies which maybe be rectangular,
triangular or semicircular
A body can be sectioned or divided into its composite parts, accounting for a finite
number of weights.

For example;
The figure below shows a lamina formed by joining together a rectangular solid and
triangular solid.
Find the C.O.G of the composite lamina from AE and AB.

A
B
4cm 6cm C

E
8cm D

lamina Area(cm2) weight Distance of C.O.G from

AE AB
ABDE 32 32g 4 2

BCD 12 12g 10 2
Composite 44 44g x y

C.O.G from AE
44gx= 32g x 4 + 12g x 10
x=5.64cm

C.O.G from AB
44gy= 32gx 2 + 12g x 2
y=2cm

For a coordinate system

Find the position of the centre of gravity of three particles of masses 1kg, 5kg, and 2g
which lie on
the y-axis at points (0, 2), (0, 4) and (0,5) respectively

2
Total mass = 1+5+ 1000
=6.002kg
Taking moments about y-axis;
(1x0) +(5x0) +(0.002x0)
0
XCG =
6.002

XCG = 0

Taking moments about x-axis;

(1x2) +(5x4) +(0.002x5)= 22.01

22.01
YCG =
6.002

YCG = 3.7

What does centre of gravity do?

⚫ Locates the resultant weight of a system of particles
⚫ The position of the centre of gravity affects the objects stability where a lower
centre of gravity affects an objects stability while a higher centre of gravity can
lead to tipping or toppling
.
The different types of stability are;
Static stability; this refers to the ability of an object to return to its original position
after being displaced.
Dynamic stability; this refers to the ability of an object to return to its original motion
after a disturbance
Transnational stability; this involves the stability of objects moving in a straight line, it
is concerned with the motion along a path and whether the object can return to its path
after a disturbance
Rotational stability; this refers to the stability of objects rotating about an axis. It
deals with the objects ability to return to its rotational state after a disturbance.

⚫ In sports activities, a well-positioned centre of gravity helps maintain balance and

control.
⚫ It is useful in designing static structures such as buildings