Centroids, Centre of Mass

& Centres of Gravity

The points through which the

resultant of distributed forces and
the earth's gravitational attraction
in a body passes
 Centre of gravity of a body is the point through
which the resultant of the earth's pull upon the
body passes and at which the weight of the
body can be considered to be acting
 to determine the centre of gravity of a body, we
need to determine the location of the resultant
force representing the earth's effect on the
body
 Considered an arbitrary body of uniform
thickness t and material density 
 Every particle of the body will be subjected to
the force of gravity
 Sum of the effects of the earths pull on all the
particles yields the weight of the body W,
dividing the body in n parts so the total weight
of the body W will be the sum of the weights of
each of the parts,
 Considered an arbitrary body of uniform
thickness t and material density 
 Every particle of the body will be subjected to
the force of gravity
 Sum of the effects of the earths pull on all the
particles yields the weight of the body W,
dividing the body in n parts so the total weight
of the body W will be the sum of the weights of
each of the parts,
 Where Wi is the force on the elemental area i. Using the
definition

 Separate the arithmetic from the concept

 Hence,
 Applying Varignon's theorem, we know that the
moment of W about any axis will be equal to the sum
of the moments of the forces

 about the same axis. Defining the co-ordinates of W

as , we have that considering moments about the
y-axis.
 Observe that Ax or xdA is the product of area and a
distance from a particular axis (analogous to the
product of force and distance which is defined as the
moment of force). Hence xdA can be called the
moment of area. The equation suggests that
the total area can be considered to be concentrated at
x
 Similarily, considering moments about the x-axis, we
obtain that

 the point defined by the co-ordinates is the

centre of gravity of a homogeneous body. It is also
known as the centroid of the area A of the body. The
integral is known as the first moment of the
area with respect to the y-axis and is denoted by Qy,
i.e. Similarily, for
moment of area about the x axis.
 The last two expressions provide easy methods for
computing the co-ordinates of the centroids of a two-
dimensional body. For such areas, the sum of the first
moments of areas about a particle is divided by the
total area of the figure. Note that the centroid C of an
area with an axis of symmetry must be along that axis
of symmetry. Hence an area with axes of symmetry
must have it's centroid located at the intersection of
the two axes of symmetry. If x-axis is an axis of
symmetry, for each area dA with co-ordinate y, there
must be a corresponding area of co-ordinate -y.
Hence, we have that which is the first moment
of area about the axis of symmetry must be equal to
zero, i.e.
 Similarly, if the y-axis is an axis of symmetry,

 If both x- and y- are axes of symmetry, then

 Example 1
 Determine, using first principles , the
centroid of the rectangle given below.

Solution
 Properties of First Moments of
Areas, Lines, Masses and Volume
 Observe that the integral may be interpreted as
the first moment of area about the y axis, Qy.
Similarily, is the first moment of area about the
x-axis, Qx. Hence

 Observe that the co-ordinates of the centriods of an

area my be obtained by dividing the first moments of
that area by the total area. First moments of areas
are important in the computation of shear stresses
under transverse loads.
 Properties of First Moments of
Areas, Lines, Masses and Volume
 When an area or line or mass or volume possesses an
axis of symmetry BB', its first moment with respect to
BB' is zero and its cetroid is located on bb'.
 If two axes of symmetry exist, the centroid must be
loacted at the intersection of the two axes of
symmetry.
 Properties of First Moments of
Areas, Lines, Masses and Volume
 The centroid coincides with the centre of symmetry.
The centre of symmetry is that point about which, for
every elemental area dA of co-ordinates x and y, there
exists a corresponding elemental area dA' of co-
ordinates -x and -y.
 Center of Mass
 Center of mass of an object is the centroid of its mass,
i.e.
 Integration must be performed over the
entire mass of the object. Note that

 The weight of an object can be assumed

to act at the centre of mass, i.e. the mass
is concentrated at this point. Mass density,
 of an object is the mass per unit volume,
i.e. (For homogeneous objects)
 Center of Mass (2)
 Weight Density g of an object is the weight per unit
volume, i.e.

 The center of mass of a homogeneous body coincides

with the centroid of its volume
 The center of mass of a homogeneous plate of
uniform thickness coincides with the centroid of its x-
sectional area.
 The ceter of mass of a homogeneous slender bar of
uniform x-sectional area coincides approximately with
the centroid of the axis of the bar.
 Composite Area

 A composite area can be considered to be an

area that is made up of a number of distinct
regular areas. Consider the areas shown
below:
 Composite Area
 Each of these areas can be broken down into the
constituent areas that make up the given area.
 The centroid of a composite area is determined by
finding the sum of the statical moments of it's
constituent areas and dividing by the total area of the
composite area.
 In doing this, the correct sign for the co-ordinate of
the centroid of each consituent area with respect to
the co-ordinate axes must be used. Areas of holes
are considered to be negative while all other areas
must have a positive sign.
 (See Page 175, Figure 5.8 a, for Centroids of Common Shapes of Areas).
 Theorems of Pappus - Guldinus (1)
 Named after the Greek geometer, Pappus and Swiss
mathematician, Guldinus
 These theorems establish the way a surface of
revolution and a body revolution may be obtained
by revolving a plane curve and a plane area,
respectively
– A surface of revolution is a surface that can
be generated by rotating a plane curve about
a fixed axis.
 Theorems of Pappus - Guldinus (2)
– A body of revolution is one that can be generated by
rotating a plane area about a fixed axis e.g. A solid
sphere from rotating a semi-circular area; solid cone
from rotating a triangular area; solid torus by
rotating a circular area.

 Note that the Pappus - Guldinus theorems may be

used to determine the centroids of a plane curve or a
plane area with respect to the fixed axis of rotation if
the surface area / volume as well as the length / area
of generating plane curve and plane area, rexpectively
are known.
 Theorum 1
 The area of a surface of revolution is equal to
the length of the generating plane curve times
the distance travelled by the centroid of the
plane curve while the surface is being
generated, i.e.
 Theorem 2
 The volume of a body of revolution is equal to
the area of the generating plane area times the
distance travelled by the centroid of the plane
area while the body is being generated, i.e.
 Example 2
Determine the centroid of the triangle given below using first
principles.
y

x
b

Solution
 Example 3
Determine the centroid of the area shown by direct interpolation.

y=mx
b

y=kx3

Solution
 Example 4
Find x and y of the area between the lines

y (1,1)

y=x2

y
x x
dx

Solution
 Example 5
Find x and y of the area between the lines

y (300,27000300)

y=x + x3

y
x x
dx
Solution
 Example 6
Find x of the area between the two lines.

y=x
Y=x2-20

(5,5)

(-4,-4) y
Yel=-1/2(y)+x = x-1/2(x-x2+20)
=1/2(x+x2-20)
x dx
Solution
 Example 7
Find the centroid of the line

y=2/3(x-1)3/2
dy
dL
Observe that dL2  dx 2  dy 2
y
  dy 
2
   dx  
2
x 5 dL  dx 1      dy 1    
2 2 2
dx   dx     dy  
2
 dx 
Solution
 dL  dx (1  y  
1 2
 dy (1   
 dy 
 Example 8
Find the centroid by direct integration

y=kx3
at x  a, y  a
1
a
 a  ka , k  2
3

x
a Solution
 Example 9
Determine the centroid of the circular
arc given below

Solution


x
R
 Example 10
A homogenious wire bent into the shape shown, find x and y.

r
45o
45o

Solution
 Example 11
A)
dA=1/2(r[rd])
r
d
.
2/3(rsin)

(2/3)r

Solution
 Example 12
Find the volume of the solid generated by rotating parabolic
spandrel about a) x-axis b)about axis A1

A1

Solution
y=kx2
h

a
 Example 13
Find volume and total surface area.

r = 42mm
r =52mm

Solution

h=60mm

r = 20 mm
 Example 14
Find the x-coordinate of the centroid of the hole.
Material has Mass per unit area of 2kg/m2

Solution
1m

2m
VA=6N VB=10N
 Example 15
Four students with
weights shown and
position shown, find the

. 728N .
660N
coordinates of the
positions of students
A(-3,3) C(Cx,Cy) C&D if Mo=0

.
B(-2.5,1.5)
488N
.
D(Dx,Dy)

496N Solution
 Example 16
Find the center of gravity of the homogenius wire.

Solution

520 mm
200 mm

480 mm
 Example 17
Determine the centriod of the area shown below.
bw
tf

tw Solution
h

tf
tf
bw
b
 Example 18
Determine the centroid of the given area. Note: The cicular hole is
treated as a negative area.

r h
yc
xc x
bt bc bt
Solution
 Example 19
Find the centriod of the object shown below.

15
I II
x
12 21
Solution
 Example 20
Find the centroid of the given shape below

20 mm

r =15mm

30 mm
Solution
x
30 mm
 Example 21
y
Find the centriod of the given
area

60
I II
30
24
x

20
Solution