Can you help me with this problem? I know how to do center of mass stuff, but I am not sure how to approach this q.
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Can you help me with this problem? I know how to do center of mass stuff, but I am not sure how to approach this q.
Hi,
Thank you for your question.
If you know how to calculate center of mass, this question won't be a problem. You just need to set one random point as a reference point where you can begin your calculation. For this question, I will set the point where the 6 mg ball is as the origin.
As you may know, X(cm) = (∑x*m) / (∑m) = (2mg * 6cm + 6mg * 0cm) / (2mg + 6mg) = (12mg * cm) / (8mg) = 1.5 cm.
As we have set the point where the 6 mg ball is at as the origin, if the coordinate of the center of mass is 1.5 cm, the distance of their centre of mass from the heavier particle (6 mg) is 1.5cm.
Does this answer your question?