When Can You Pretend All the Mass is at the Center of Mass?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of the center of mass and its application in physics, particularly in understanding when it is appropriate to simplify an object's mass distribution by treating it as concentrated at the center of mass. Participants are exploring scenarios in which this simplification may or may not be valid.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the meaning and implications of using the center of mass in various contexts, such as human movement and vehicle dynamics. Some express uncertainty about when this approximation fails, particularly in complex scenarios like explosions or car crashes.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing examples and seeking clarification on the application of the center of mass in different situations. There is no explicit consensus yet, but various interpretations and examples are being explored.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention specific contexts, such as aerodynamics and human movement, while others highlight potential limitations in applying the center of mass concept, particularly in dynamic situations like car crashes.

Dr_bug
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Homework Statement


Discuss when you can and can’t “pretend all the mass of an object is concentrated at the center of mass”.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


So I don't really understand what this is supposed to mean. I know that you utilize center of mass when trying to describe the motion of an extended object where different parts of the object is moving with different speeds. But so far i haven't come across anything you really couldn't use this... and explosion problem maybe... i don't really know and would appreciate some input thanks
 
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Maybe when explaining the motion of large objects, like aeroplanes or human movements
 
well you actually do use center of mass to describe human movements because that's an example that my textbook uses...
 
Dr_bug said:
well you actually do use center of mass to describe human movements because that's an example that my textbook uses...

Well I meant like in testing car crashes, I don't think they consider the entire body as one point mass.


OR analysis of the forces on an aeroplane.
 

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