<Li> Divide the shape into two other rectangles, as shown in fig 3 . Find the centers of mass of these two rectangles by drawing the diagonals . Draw a line joining the centers of mass . The center of mass of the L - shape must lie on this line CD . </Li> <Li> As the center of mass of the shape must lie along AB and also along CD, it is obvious that it is at the intersection of these two lines, at O . (The point O may or may not lie inside the L - shaped object .) </Li> <P> This method is useful when one wishes to find the location of the centroid or center of mass of an object that is easily divided into elementary shapes, whose centers of mass are easy to find (see List of centroids). Here the center of mass will only be found in the x direction . The same procedure may be followed to locate the center of mass in the y direction . </P> <P> The shape . It is easily divided into a square, triangle, and circle . Note that the circle will have negative area . From the List of centroids, we note the coordinates of the individual centroid . From equation 1 above: </P>

How to calculate center of mass of an irregular object