To determine the location of the center of mass (or center of gravity)of a car,the car is driven over a scale on a horizontal floor.When the front wheels are over the scale,the weight recorded by the scale is 5800 N,and when the rear wheels are over the scale,the scale reads 6500 N.The distance between the front and rear wheels is measured to be 3.20 m.How far behind the front wheels is the center of mass located?
A)0.845 m
B)1.50 m
C)1.59 m
D)1.69 m
E)1.72 m

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The center of mass can be found using the principle of moments. The total weight of the car is the sum of the weights recorded by the scale for the front and rear wheels, which is 5800 N + 6500 N = 12300 N. To find the distance (d) from the front wheels where the center of mass is located, we use the equation: (5800 N) * d + (6500 N) * (3.20 m - d) = (12300 N) * (3.20 m / 2). Solving for d gives approximately 1.69 m.

To Determine the Location of the Center of Mass (Or