Question

Center of Mass - Basic Applications

1A

Vehicles with a center of mass that is high above the ground are more likely to "rollover" in an accident or even when turning quickly at high speed. (Rollover accidents are also more likely to result in fatalities.) A person decides to transport a load of bricks on the top of his van. The mass of the van is 1,044 kg, and without the bricks, the height of the van's center of mass above the ground is 45.5 centimeters, (unloaded). After the bricks are loaded on the roof of the car is 200 centimeters above the ground. The load of bricks has a mass of 1,309 kg, and is in a rectangular shape of length = 150 centimeters, width = 100 centimeters, and from the bottom to the top of the load of bricks measures 31.5 centimeters. When the bricks are loaded onto the roof of the van, how high above the ground is the center of mass of the van- and-bricks, measured in centimeters?

1B.

1C.

1D.

Answer 1

A Along vertical, Center of mass (com) of Von is 4.5.5cm above the ground center of mass of bricks is: COM bricks ☆ 1981%51:51 1200cm Car 148.5 168.5+ 31.5 - 168.5+ 15.75 2 - 184.25cm above the ground Com of brick and corsystem - My* (OM/+MB+(com) Mrt MB = 1044 *45.5+ 13094 184.25 1044 +1309 47502 +241510.5 1044+1309 = 124.760943 em above the ground