STA201

Geometric Properties:
Area, centroid, first moment of area (static moment of area), second moment of area (moment of
inertia) are some of the geometric properties of a cross-section, that we need in mechanics.

First moment of area (static moment of area):

With respect to x-axis:
Sx   ydA

With respect to y-axis:

Sy   x dA

Static moment about an axis that intersects the

centroid is equal to zero.

Centroid: The centroid represents the geometric center of the body.

Sum of the static moments of the differential
elements dA about yaxis is equal to the static
moment of the A alone about y-axis. This
equilibrium equation allows to find the location
of the centroid xM as follows;

x M  dA   x dA
A A

 x dA Sy
xM  A

 dA
A
A 1
 STA201
In a similar manner, but about x-axis, yM can be fould as follows:

 ydA Sx
yM  A

 dA
A
A

Center of gravity of a plate:

 : weight per unit volume
t : plate thickness

 x dW  ydW
xM  V yM 
 dW  dW
V

dW=  t dA

 x dA  ydA
xM  A
yM  A

 dA  dA
A
A

Center of gravity of a wire:

 x dW  ydW
 : weight per unit volume xM  V
yM 
a : cross section area of the wire  dW  dW
V

dW=  a ds

 x ds Sy  yds Sx
xM  L
 yM  L

 ds
L
L  ds
L
L

These equations are easily remembered if it is kept in mind that they simply represent a balance
between the sum of the moments of the weights of each particle of the system and the moment of the
resultant weight for the system. If the body is homogenous, then the center of gravity, center of mass
and the centroid of this body are the same point.

Example: Locate the centroid of the quarter ring of radius R shown in

the figure.

π/2 π/2

 x ds  (R cosθ )(R dθ ) R2  cosθ dθ 2R

xM  L
 0
 0

 ds πR
π/2
π
L  R dθ
0
2

2
 STA201

Example: Calculate the location of the centroid of the quarter circle area of radius R shown in the
figure.

π/2

 x dA  (2R cosθ /3 )(R (R dθ ) / 2)

xM  A
 0

 dA
π/2

A  R (R dθ )/2
0
3 π/2
2R 2R 3
6  cosθ dθ
4R
 0
2 π/2
 62 
R πR 3π
2  dθ
0
4

Composite plates and wires:

n: number of composite parts
n n

x Mi Ai y Mi Ai
plate: xM  i 1
n
yM  i 1
n

A i A i 1
i
i 1

y
n

x Mi Li Mi Li
xM  i 1 yM  i 1
n

L
n
wire:
L
i 1
i
i 1
i

Example: Calculate the location of the area shown in

the figure. All dimensions are in cm.

No yMi (cm) Ai (cm2) yMi Ai

2x1 7 2x2 28

2 7.5 6 45

3 4 6 24
4 0.5 6 3
 22 100

y Mi Ai
28  45  24  3 100
yM  i 1
   4.55 cm
n
4666
A
22
i
i 1
3
 STA201
PAPPUS-GULDINUS THEOREMS:

1st theorem: The area created with the 2nd theorem: The volume created with the
revolving curve about an axis is equal to the revolving area about an axis is equal to the
product of the length of the curve and the product of the area and the distance traveled by
distance traveled by the centroid of the curve. the centroid of the area.

As  θ x y M L V  θ x yM A

4
 STA201

triangle

quarter circle

half circle

quarter ellips

half ellips

parabola section

circle slice

quarter ring

half ring

ring section

5
 STA201

half sphere

cone

pyramid

ellipsoid

paraboloid

6
 STA201
Example: Find the area of the surface that is created by rotating the wire shown in the figure 360o
about (a) x-axis, (b) y-axis.

No xMi (cm) yMi (cm) Li (cm) xMi Li yMi Li

1 0 6.5 1 0 6.5

2 3 7 6 18 42
3 6 3.5 7 42 24.5
4 26/ 26/ 26/4 36 36

 14+3 96 109
4

x Mi Li
96 A y  θ y x M L  2π  (4.1)  (14  3π)  603.45 cm 2
xM  i 1
  4.1cm
4
14  3π
Li 1
i

y Mi Li
109
yM  i 1
  4.65 cm A x  θ x yM L  2π  (4.65)  (14  3π)  684.4 cm 2
4
14  3π
L i 1
i

Check: (sphere surface area=4R2)

Ax= (72  62)+ 2  7 6 +  72 +(4  62)/2 =218 =684.87 cm2
Ay=   62+ 2  6 7 + (4  62)/2 =192 =603.19 cm2
Example: Calculate the volume of the body that is created by
rotating the area shown in the figure 360o about (a) x-axis, (b) y-
axis.

No xMi (cm) yMi (cm) Ai (cm2) xMi Ai yMi Ai

1 3 3.5 67 126 147

2 46/(3) 46/(3)  62 /4 72.09 72.09

 13.73 53.91 74.91
2

x Mi Ai
126  72.09 53.91
xM  i 1
   3.93cm
2
6  7  π6 2 /4 13.73
A
i 1
i

y Mi Ai
147  72.09 74.91
yM  i 1
   5.46cm Vx  θ x yM A  2π  (5.46)  (13.73)  150π cm3
2
6  7  π6 2 /4 13.73
A i
i 1 Vy  θ y x M A  2π  (3.93)  (13.73)  108π cm3
Check: (sphere volume =4R3/3)
Vx=6 (  72)(4  63/3)/2=150  , Vy=7 (  62)(4  63/3)/2=108 
7
 STA201
Example: Locate the centroid of the shaded area
bounded by the curve y2=x+4 and the lines x=5 , y=2.

y 3
3 3 3
 y3 
A   dA   (5  x) dy   (5  ( y  4)) dy   (9  y ) dy   9y    2.67 cm 2
2 2

A 2 2 2  3  y2

y 3
3 3 3
 9y 2 y 4 
Sx   ydA   y(5  x) dy   y(5  ( y  4)) dy   (9y  y ) dy  
2 3
   6.25 cm 3
A 2 2 2  2 4  y2

 ydA Sx 6.25
yM  A
   2.34 cm
 dA
A
A 2.67

(5  x)
3 3 3
1 1
S y   x dA   (5  x) dy   (25  x 2 ) dy   (25  ( y 2  4) 2 ) dy
A 2
2 22 22
3
1
2 2
 (9  8y 2  y 4 ) dy  8.73 cm 3

 x dA Sy 8.73
xM  A
   3.27 cm
 dA
A
A 2.67