This page provides insight into determining the centre of mass and some functions to help you calculate it.
Calculation
Inputs
Mass, a
:2g
Mass, b
:4g
Distance, d
:6m
Here are the variables for the equation
Output
X coordinate for centre, R(x)
:4
Rx=ma+mb(maxa+mbxb)=ma+mbmbd
Explanation
The centre of mass is a position defined relative to an object or system of objects. It is the average position of all parts or objects of a system, weighted according to their masses.
This is demonstrated by the diagram below, depicting the coordinate system of an object:
Figure 1: Diagram of a Coordinate System
The centre of mass is located at the centroid for simple rigid objects with uniform density and can be calculated with the following formula:
Rx=ma+mb(maxa+mbxb)=ma+mbmbd
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