CHAPTER

System of Particles and

10 Centre of Mass

Centre of Mass of a System of ‘N’ ™ A triangular plate at the centroid

y
Discrete Particles
n

   ∑ mi ri 1 n

m r + m2 r2 +  + mn rn=

rcm = 1 1 ; rcm
i =1
= n
M
∑ mi ri
m1 + m2 +  + mn
∑ mi i =1

i =1
h
Centre of Mass of a Continuous Mass Distribution

=xcm
∫=xdm ∫ ydm , z ∫ zdm
, ycm = COM
cm
∫ dm ∫ dm ∫ dm      yc =
h yc
3 x
dm = M ( mass of the body )
∫
O
™ A semi-circular ring
y
Centre of Mass of Some Common Systems
™ System of two point masses.
m1r1 = m2r2; The centre of mass lies closer to the heavier
mass.
r1 r2 R
COM
yc
L 2R
=yc = ; xc 0 x
m1 π O
m2
COM ™ A semi-circular disc
y
m2 L m1L
m1 + m2 m1 + m2
™ Rectangular plate
y R
COM
b 4R yc
=yc = ; xc 0 x
3π O
™ A hemispherical shell
y

COM L

b L
yc
xc
= = ; yc R COM
2 2 yc
x R
O =yc = ; xc 0 x
xc 2
O
 ™ A solid hemisphere Impulse
y 
™ Impulse of a force F on a body is defined as

tf  tf  
I= ∫t
i
F dt = ∫ti
dP = ∆P

™ Area under the Force vs time curve gives the impulse

R COM ™ Impulse – momentum theorem
yc
3R  
=yc = ; xc 0 x I = ∆P
8
O
™ A circular cone (solid) Principle of Conservation of Linear Momentum
  
™ If, (∑ F ) ext
system
0 ⇒ ( Pi ) system =
= ( Pf ) system

1 1
™ ( KE ) system= (m1v12 + m2 v22 + ...mn vn2 ) ≠ MVcom
2
2 2
1 2
h ( KE
= ) system Mvcom + ( KE ) rel / com
2
h COM Coefficient of Restitution (e)
yc = yc Before collision After collision
   4
™ u1 u2 v1 v2

™ A circular cone (hollow) v2 − v1

e=
u1 − u2

=™ e
Impulse of reformation
=
∫ Fr dt
Impulse of deformation ∫ Fd dt
h
Velocity of separation along line of impact
=
COM Velocity of approach along line of impact
h yc
yc = Pi + m2 e(u2 − u1 ) Pi + m1e(u1 − u2 )
3 =v1 = , v2
m1 + m2 m1 + m2
Motion of Centre of Mass ™ e = 1: Impulse of Reformation = Impulse of Deformation
Velocity of Centre of Mass of System Velocity of separation = Velocity of approach
   
dr dr dr dr
m1 1 + m2 2 + m3 3  + mn n     Kinetic Energy is conserved (before and after collision)
 dt dt dt dt m1 v1 + m2 v2 + m3 v3  + mn vn
vcm = Elastic collision.
M M
 ™ e = 0: Impulse of Reformation = 0

Psys = Mvcm Velocity of separation = 0
Acceleration of Centre of Mass of System Kinetic Energy is not conserved
    Perfectly Inelastic collision.
dv1 dv2 dv3 dvn
m1 + m2 + m3  + mn ™ 0 < e < 1: Impulse of Reformation < Impulse of Deformation
 dt dt dt dt
acm =
M Velocity of seapration < Velocity of approach
   
m a + m2 a2 + m3 a3 … + mn an Kinetic Energy is not conserved
= 1 1
M Inelastic collision.
Net force on system Variable Mass System
=
M
If a mass is added or ejected from a system, at rate m kg/s and
Net external force + Net int ernal force
= relative velocity vrel (w.r.t. the system), then the force exerted by
M
this mass on the system has magnitude m | vrel |.
Net External Force
= ( S Internal force = 0) Thrust Force (Ft)
M
  dm
F = Macm Ft = vrel
    ext dt
P System of Particles and Centre of Mass 17
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