physics - centre of gravity

anpanman SG

can someone tell me where the centre of gravity is for a U-shaped horseshoe? It is smacked right in the middle of the bottom, isn't it?

Many thanks!

eagle SG

what is middle of bottom?

|                         |
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|                         |
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\         X          /
\                    /
    \ ______ /

Roughly there in the picture above.

secretliker SG

The CG is not a point in the horseshoe magnet, but somewhere in the middle of the air.

anpanman SG

The CG is not a point in the horseshoe magnet, but somewhere in the middle of the air.

why is this so? isn't it supposed to be the point where the whole weight seems to act?

skythewood SG

he means it is not neccesary fot the point to be in the magnet itself. the point can be outside of the horseshoe magnet.

arigatoast SG

why is this so? isn't it supposed to be the point where the whole weight seems to act?

ithe CG is outside the magnet also implies that u can never balance it by pivioting it at the CG

skythewood SG

ithe CG is outside the magnet also implies that u can never balance it by pivioting it at the CG

err... if i balance the horseshoe magnet by pivoting it at a point, will you give me a hundred dollars?

eagle SG

err... if i balance the horseshoe magnet by pivoting it at a point, will you give me a hundred dollars?

heh heh, good one

theoretically can, but physically, very hard. Just like you could balance a chair on one leg as well :D

arigatoast SG

err... if i balance the horseshoe magnet by pivoting it at a point, will you give me a hundred dollars?

opps. sorry my physics is lousy

maybe i alter my earlier post a bit... u cant balance the horseshoe magnet at a pivotal point when it is lying on a horizontal plane

Fair enough?