5.
1 Planar Centers of Gravity and Centroids 241
Sample Problem 5.1
y For the plane area shown, determine (a) the first moments with respect to
120 mm the x and y axes; (b) the location of the centroid.
60 mm
STRATEGY: Break up the given area into simple components, find the
40 mm centroid of each component, and then find the overall first moments and
80 mm centroid.
x MODELING: As shown in Fig. 1, you obtain the given area by adding
60 mm
a rectangle, a triangle, and a semicircle and then subtracting a circle. Using
the coordinate axes shown, find the area and the coordinates of the centroid
of each of the component areas. To keep track of the data, enter them in
a table. The area of the circle is indicated as negative because it is sub-
tracted from the other areas. The coordinate y of the centroid of the triangle
is negative for the axes shown. Compute the first moments of the compo-
nent areas with respect to the coordinate axes and enter them in your table.
y y y y y
4 r1
120 mm = 25.46 mm r = 60 mm
_
3 1
r2 = 40 mm
=
r1 = 60 mm 60 mm
r2 = 40 mm + 40 mm +
80 mm 80 mm 105.46 mm 80 mm
40 mm
x x x x x
60 mm
– 20 mm 60 mm 60 mm
Component A, mm2 x, mm y, mm x A, mm3 y A, mm3
Rectangle (120)(80) 5 9.6 3 103 60 40 1576 3 103 1384 3 103
1
Triangle 2 (120)(60)5 3.6 3 103 40 220 1144 3 103 272 3 103
1 2
Semicircle 2 π(60)5 5.655 3 103 60 105.46 1339.3 3 103 1596.4 3 103
2
Circle 2π(40) 5 25.027 3 103 60 80 2301.6 3 103 2402.2 3 103
oA 5 13.828 3 103 oxA 5 1757.7 3 103 oyA 5 1506.2 3 103
Fig. 1 Given area modeled as the combination of simple geometric shapes.
ANALYSIS:
y
a. First Moments of the Area. Using Eqs. (5.8), you obtain
Qx 5 oyA 5 506.2 3 103 mm3 Qx 5 506 3 103 mm3 b
Qy 5 oxA 5 757.7 3 103 mm3 Qy 5 758 3 103 mm3 b
C b. Location of Centroid. Substituting the values given in the table
Y = 36.6 mm
x into the equations defining the centroid of a composite area yields (Fig. 2)
X oA 5 oxA: X(13.828 3 103 mm2) 5 757.7 3 103 mm3
X = 54.8 mm
X 5 54.8 mm b
Fig. 2 Centroid of composite area.
Y oA 5 oyA: Y(13.828 3 10 mm ) 5 506.2 3 10 mm3
3 2 3
Y 5 36.6 mm b
www.elsolucionario.org
242 Distributed Forces: Centroids and Centers of Gravity
REFLECT and THINK: Given that the lower portion of the shape has
more area to the left and that the upper portion has a hole, the location
of the centroid seems reasonable upon visual inspection.
C Sample Problem 5.2
26 i
n. The figure shown is made from a piece of thin, homogeneous wire. Deter-
10 in.
mine the location of its center of gravity.
B
STRATEGY: Since the figure is formed of homogeneous wire, its center
A
of gravity coincides with the centroid of the corresponding line. Therefore,
24 in.
you can simply determine that centroid.
y
12 in.
C 26 i
n.
10 in.
5 in.
A B x
24 in.
Fig. 1 Location of each line segment’s centroid.
MODELING: Choosing the coordinate axes shown in Fig. 1 with the
origin at A, determine the coordinates of the centroid of each line segment
and compute the first moments with respect to the coordinate axes. You
may find it convenient to list the data in a table.
Segment L, in. x, in. y, in. x L , in2 y L , in2
AB 24 12 0 288 0
BC 26 12 5 312 130
CA 10 0 5 0 50
oL 5 60 ox L 5 600 oy L 5 180
ANALYSIS: Substituting the values obtained from the table into the
equations defining the centroid of a composite line gives
X oL 5 ox L: X(60 in.) 5 600 in2 X 5 10 in. b
Y oL 5 oy L: Y(60 in.) 5 180 in2 Y 5 3 in. b
REFLECT and THINK: The centroid is not on the wire itself, but it is
within the area enclosed by the wire.
www.elsolucionario.org
