Centre of Gravity and Stabilty

Centre of Gravity and Stabilty

Centre of gravity

Try to balance a cardboard on your figure tip.What do we observe. We observe there isonly one point which the cardboard is balanced. The point which the cardboard is balanced is called the cenre of gravity of the cardboard.

Centre of gravity: The centre of gravity of an object is the point through which the entire weight of the object appears to act.

How to we find the centre of gravity of a object ?

Centre of gravity for Regular – shaped objects

Generally the centre of gravity of the geometrical shaped object lie on the geometric centre of the object.

Examples of centre of gravity for Regular-shaped objects. 1. Weight of Card, 2. Weight of Triangle, 3. Weight of Disc, 4. Weight of Ring.

What about irregular shaped objects ?

Apparatus : Irregularly shaped card, string, pendulum bob, stand

1. Make three holes in the lamina.

2. Suspend the lamina from the optical pin through one of the holes as shown.

3. Suspend the plumbline from the pin and mark the position of the plumbline on the lamina.

4. Draw lines on the lamina representing the positions of the plumbline.

5. Repeat the above steps for the holes.

6. Label the intersection of the three lines as X, the position of the centre of gravity of the lamina.

Meter Rule

The ruler is in equilibrium when supported at its centre of gravity.

For a regular object such as a uniform meter rule , the centre of gravity is at the centre of the object. When the object is supported at that point, it will be balanced. If it is supported at any other point, it will topple.