Question

- The following figure (image attached) is from a student’s experiment to find the centre of mass of an irregular shape.

a. Explain how the student used the following equipment to find the centre of mass:
• String
• A small mass (e.g. adhesive putty)
• A stand
• A pencil
• A straight-edge (e.g. ruler).
Include a diagram of the experimental set-up as part of your explanation. (10 marks)

b. Why did the student draw more than 2 lines on the shape? (2 marks)

Answer 1

The student drew more than 2 lines on the shape to determine the center of mass. By drawing three or more lines, the student can accurately locate the center of mass and understand how the mass is distributed within the shape.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student drew more than 2 lines on the shape to determine the center of mass of the irregular shape. By drawing three or more lines, the student would be able to find the intersection point of those lines, which represents the center of mass.

For example, imagine drawing three lines on the shape. The intersection point of those lines would be the center of mass, as it represents the equilibrium point where the weight of the shape is evenly distributed.

So, by drawing more than 2 lines, the student can accurately locate the center of mass and understand how the mass is distributed within the shape.