Photo AI
The centre of gravity of an object is the point where all its weight appears to act - Junior Cycle Science - Question c - 2008
Question c
The centre of gravity of an object is the point where all its weight appears to act. (i) Explain how you would find the centre of gravity of an irregularly shaped ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The centre of gravity of an object is the point where all its weight appears to act - Junior Cycle Science - Question c - 2008
Step 1
Explain how you would find the centre of gravity of an irregularly shaped piece of cardboard like that shown on the right.
Answer
To find the centre of gravity of the irregularly shaped cardboard, you can follow these steps:
- Physical Suspension Method: Hang the piece of cardboard from a point near the edge using a string. Ensure it can freely rotate.
- Weight Application: Attach a weight to the point where the cardboard hangs and mark the point directly beneath the hanging point along the edge.
- Repeat Process: Rotate the cardboard slightly and repeat the process of hanging and marking.
- Intersection of Lines: The centre of gravity is located at the intersection of the lines marked through the various positions you marked.
You may augment your answer with a labelled diagram indicating these steps.
Step 2
Compare the sports car and the bus shown in the photographs on the right. Give one feature of the design of the sports car that makes it more stable than the bus.
Answer
One feature of the sports car that makes it more stable than the bus is its lower center of gravity. The design typically features a wider and lower chassis compared to the taller bus structure, which contributes to reduced risk of tipping over and enhanced stability during cornering.
Step 3
Indicate which arrow, A, B or C, points to the fulcrum in the diagram on the right showing a lever in use to raise a heavy box. Explain how the law of the lever applies in this example.
Answer
The arrow pointing to the fulcrum is arrow B.
Explanation of the Law of the Lever: The law of the lever states that the moments (or torques) around the fulcrum must be in balance for the lever to be in equilibrium. In this scenario, the moment produced by the force (weight of the box) on one side of the fulcrum must equal the moment produced by the force applied on the other side.
Mathematically, this can be expressed as:
This ensures that for every action, one side’s weight and distance from the fulcrum exerts an equal and opposite reaction on the other side.