Centre of Gravity & Centroid By S M Dhawade PRMCEAM

In physics, the center of mass, of a distribution of mass in space is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. Centre of Gravity A child's toy displays the scientific principle of center of gravity.

In the case of a single rigid body, the center of mass is fixed in relation to the body, and if the body has uniform density, it will be located at the centroid. rigid bodycentroid The center of mass may be located outside the physical body, as is sometimes the case for hollow or open-shaped objects, such as a horseshoe. hollowhorseshoe In the case of a distribution of separate bodies, such as theplanets of the Solar System, the center of mass may not correspond to the position of any individual member of the system.planetsSolar System The center of mass is a useful reference point for calculations in mechanics that involve masses distributed in space, such as the linear and angular momentum of planetary bodies and rigid body dynamics.mechanicslinearangular momentumrigid body dynamics

History The concept of "center of mass" in the form of the "center of gravity" was first introduced by the ancient Greek physicist, mathematician, and engineer Archimedes of Syracuse. He worked with simplified assumptions about gravity that amount to a uniform field, thus arriving at the mathematical properties of what we now call the center of mass. Archimedes showed that the torque exerted on a lever by weights resting at various points along the lever is the same as what it would be if all of the weights were moved to a single point — their center of mass. In work on floating bodies he demonstrated that the orientation of a floating object is the one that makes its center of mass as low as possible. He developed mathematical techniques for finding the centers of mass of objects of uniform density of various well-defined shapes.Archimedes of Syracusetorquelever

Definition of center of gravity Centre of gravity of the body may be defined as the point through which the whole weight of a body may be assumed to be concentrated. OR The center of mass is the unique point at the center of a distribution of mass in space that has the property that the weighted position vectors relative to this point sum to zero

Definition of Centroid Centroid of area of figure or body is defined as the point where the whole area of figure or body is assumed to be concentrated.