COMEDK2024Morning ShiftPhysicsCenter of Mass, Momentum and CollisionActual
Which of the following statement is true regarding the centre of mass of a system?
Options
- AThe centre of mass of a body always lies inside the body.
- BThe centre of mass depends on the size and shape but does not depend on the distribution of mass of the body.
- CThe centre of mass depends on the coordinate system.
- DThe centre of mass of a system depends on the size and shape of the body but independent of the co-ordinate sy
Correct answer
D. The centre of mass of a system depends on the size and shape of the body but independent of the co-ordinate sy
Step-by-step solution
The centre of mass of a system is defined by the position vector R _ cm = m_i r _i m_i . The centre of mass is a point that represents the average position of the mass in a system. It depends on the distribution of mass, the size, and the shape of the body. However, the location of the centre of mass is a physical property of the body itself and is independent of the choice of the coordinate system used to describe it. Option (1) is incorrect because the centre of mass can lie outside the body (e.g., a ring or a ho