Centre Of Gravity
What is meant by the centre of gravity of an object?
A student claims that the centre of gravity of every object must lie inside the material of that object. Which example best shows this claim is incorrect?
In the plumb-line experiment to find the centre of gravity of an irregular lamina, why must the lamina be able to swing freely on the pin?
In the experiment, a student draws lines from three different suspension points on the lamina. What is the purpose of using a third suspension point?
A student performing the plumb-line experiment finds that the three lines do not intersect at a single point. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
Which two features of an object’s design increase its stability?
A traffic cone has a wide, heavy rubber base and a lightweight, narrow top. Suggest why this design makes the cone stable when placed on a road.
A rectangular block stands on a surface. It is slowly tilted to one side. At which point does the block begin to topple?
A cone is balanced on its apex (point) on a flat surface. A tiny push causes it to fall over and not return to its original position. Which type of equilibrium was the cone in before the push?
A ball rests on a flat, horizontal surface. When pushed to a new position, it stays there without returning or toppling further. The height of its centre of gravity has not changed. Which state of equilibrium is this?
A ship designer wants to reduce the risk of the vessel capsizing (toppling over in water). Which combination of changes would be most effective?
An astronaut places an object on the surface of the Moon, where gravitational field strength is about 1/6 that of Earth. Compared to Earth, how does the position of the object’s centre of gravity change on the Moon?
In the plumb-line experiment, why must the student wait until both the lamina and the plumb line have stopped moving before drawing the pencil line?
Why should the suspension holes in the lamina experiment be spaced well apart around the edge of the lamina?
A double-decker bus is more likely to topple on a sharp bend than a low-bodied racing car travelling at the same speed around the same bend. Explain which factor related to centre of gravity is most responsible for this difference.