Exams › NEET › Physics

The centre of mass of a body:

1. Lies always at the geometrical centre
2. Lies always inside the body
3. Lies always outside the body
4. Lies within or outside the body

Correct answer: Lies within or outside the body

Solution

The centre of mass is the point where the entire mass of a body may be considered concentrated for translational motion. It need not coincide with the geometrical centre and may lie either inside or outside the material of the body.

Related NEET Physics questions

• Two point masses $m$ and $M$ with $M>m$ are placed at two different positions. Where does the centre of mass of this two-body system lie?
• Two uniform solid spheres A and B have masses $m$ and $2m$ and radii $2a$ and $a$, respectively. They are placed just touching each other. How far is the centre of mass of the system from the centre of sphere A?
• The centre of mass of a system is best described as the point:
• A ball is thrown vertically upward from the surface of the Earth. Considering the Earth-ball as an isolated system (ignoring air), which statement best describes the motion of both during the ball's upward journey?
• Object P has mass $200\,\text{g}$ and velocity $10\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ along the $+x$-direction. Object Q has mass $500\,\text{g}$ and velocity $(3\hat{i}+5\hat{j})\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. What is the speed of their centre of mass?
• Two masses in the ratio $n:1$ are connected by a light inextensible string over a frictionless pulley (Atwood machine). After the system is released from rest, what is the acceleration of the centre of mass of the two-mass system?

⚔️ Practice NEET Physics free + battle 1v1 →