A system consist of three particles each of mass, with instantaneous positions and velocities as follows

𝑟1 =i+j+k

𝑣1 =-i

𝑟2 =i+k

𝑣2 =2j

𝑟3 =k

𝑣3 =i+j+k

Calculate the following quantities:

a) The instantaneous position of the center of mass

b) The velocity of the center of mass
c) The linear momentum of the system

Answer

𝑚1 .𝑟1 +𝑚2 .𝑟2 +𝑚3 .𝑟3 𝑚1 .𝑟1 +𝑚2 .𝑟2 +𝑚3 .𝑟3 𝑚1 .𝑟1 +𝑚2 .𝑟2 +𝑚3 .𝑟3
a) 𝑟̂𝑐𝑚 =( 𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3
) 𝑖̂ +( 𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3
) 𝑗̂ +( 𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3
) 𝑘̂

𝑚.1+𝑚.1+𝑚.0 𝑚.1+𝑚.0+𝑚.𝑜 𝑚.1+𝑚.1+𝑚.1

=( ) 𝑖̂ +( ) 𝑗̂ +( ) 𝑘̂
𝑚+𝑚+𝑚 𝑚+𝑚+𝑚 𝑚+𝑚+𝑚

2 𝑚 3𝑚
=3𝑚 𝑖̂ + 3𝑚
𝑗̂ + 3𝑚
𝑘̂
𝑚

2 1 3
=3 𝑖̂ + 3
𝑗̂ + 3 𝑘̂

𝑚1 .𝑣1 +𝑚2 .𝑣2 +𝑚3 .𝑣3

b) 𝑣(𝑝𝑚)= 𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3

𝑚1 .(−1)+𝑚2 .(0)+𝑚3.(1) 𝑚1 .(0)+𝑚2 .(2)+𝑚3 .(1) 𝑚1 .(0)+𝑚2 .(0)+𝑚3 .(1)

=( 𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3
) 𝑖̂ +( 𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3
) 𝑗̂ +( 𝑚1 +𝑚2 +𝑚3
) 𝑘̂

3𝑚 𝑚
= 𝑖̂ + 𝑗̂ + 𝑘̂
3𝑚 3𝑚

1
= 𝑗̂ + 3 𝑘̂
𝑝 = 𝑚1 . 𝑣1 + 𝑚2 . 𝑣2 + 𝑚3 . 𝑣3

= (𝑚1 . (−1) + 𝑚2 . (0) + 𝑚3 . (1))𝑖̂ + (𝑚1 . (0) + 𝑚2 . (2) + 𝑚3 . (1))𝑗̂ + (𝑚1 . (0) + 𝑚2 . (0) + 𝑚3 . (1))𝑘̂

= 0𝑖̂ + 3 𝑗̂ + 𝑘̂

= 3 𝑗̂ + 𝑘̂