Let it be a system formed by two particles 1 and 2 of mass m1 and m2, respectively. Show that the position of the center of mass is located at an internal point to the line segment that connects the positions of particles 1 and 2. This result allows us to immediately estimate the position of the center of mass of a two-particle system.
Rigid Body
A rigid body is an object which does not change its shape or undergo any significant deformation due to an external force or movement. Mathematically speaking, the distance between any two points inside the body doesn't change in any situation.
Rigid Body Dynamics
Rigid bodies are defined as inelastic shapes with negligible deformation, giving them an unchanging center of mass. It is also generally assumed that the mass of a rigid body is uniformly distributed. This property of rigid bodies comes in handy when we deal with concepts like momentum, angular momentum, force and torque. The study of these properties – viz., force, torque, momentum, and angular momentum – of a rigid body, is collectively known as rigid body dynamics (RBD).
Let it be a system formed by two particles 1 and 2 of mass m1 and m2, respectively. Show that the position of the center of mass is located at an internal point to the line segment that connects the positions of particles 1 and 2. This result allows us to immediately estimate the position of the center of mass of a two-particle system.
Step by step
Solved in 4 steps with 2 images
