Center of Mass & Displacement Question

In summary, the problem involves an olive and a Brazil nut with different masses and initial positions being acted upon by two forces. The goal is to find the displacement of the center of mass of the system after 5.6 seconds, using the net force and total mass to calculate the acceleration and then plugging it into the formula for displacement.
  • #1
ChazyChazLive
18
0

Homework Statement


A big olive (m = 0.051 kg) lies at the origin of an xy coordinate system, and a big Brazil nut (M = 0.56 kg) lies at the point (0.81, 3.0) m. At t = 0, a force Fo = (2.6 + 1.7) N begins to act on the olive, and a force Fn = (-4.4 -3.4) N begins to act on the nut.


Homework Equations


What is the (a)x and (b)y displacement of the center of mass of the olive-nut system at t = 5.6 s, with respect to its position at t = 0?


The Attempt at a Solution


Okay, so far, I found X center of mass, and Y center of mass. (0.742,2.75)
I don't know what to do afterwards.
I tried combining the forces, resulting in a Fnetx and Fnety.
So... now... me lost >.< Can someone give me a little help please.
 
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  • #2
If you have the net force resolved in x,y and the total mass, then doesn't that determine the acceleration in x,y of the CoM?
 
  • #3
Yes, so.. er this is where I get confused.
Should I just stick the acceleration in x and y into the formula
x = x0 + .5at^2 ?? with the x being the 0.742 and then 2.75 to find the final x,y?
It sounds right but I just seem to doubt it.
 
  • #4
ChazyChazLive said:
Yes, so.. er this is where I get confused.
Should I just stick the acceleration in x and y into the formula
x = x0 + .5at^2 ?? with the x being the 0.742 and then 2.75 to find the final x,y?
It sounds right but I just seem to doubt it.

I'd forge ahead.

Since they want displacement of the center of mass, whatever the initial position of the CoM when the olive-nut salad was at rest would be 0 for purposes of calculating displacement of CoM from the constant acceleration.
 

1. What is the center of mass?

The center of mass is a point in an object or system where the mass is evenly distributed in all directions. It is the point at which an object can be balanced on a single point without tipping over.

2. How is the center of mass calculated?

The center of mass can be calculated by finding the average of the position of all the individual particles that make up an object or system. This can be done using the formula:
xcm = (m1x1 + m2x2 + ... + mnxn) / (m1 + m2 + ... + mn)
ycm = (m1y1 + m2y2 + ... + mnyn) / (m1 + m2 + ... + mn)
zcm = (m1z1 + m2z2 + ... + mnzn) / (m1 + m2 + ... + mn)
where m is the mass of each particle and x, y, z are the coordinates of the particle.

3. How is displacement related to center of mass?

Displacement is the distance between an object's starting point and its end point. The center of mass can be used to determine an object's displacement by calculating the change in position of the center of mass from the starting point to the end point.

4. What factors affect the center of mass?

The center of mass is affected by the distribution of mass within an object or system. The shape, size, and density of the object can also impact the location of the center of mass. External forces acting on the object, such as gravity or applied forces, can also affect the center of mass.

5. What is the significance of the center of mass?

The center of mass is an important concept in physics as it helps determine the stability and balance of an object or system. It is also used in various calculations, such as calculating the torque or rotational motion of an object. In addition, the center of mass can provide information about the motion and behavior of an object in different environments or conditions.

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