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center of mass
noun phrase
: the point in a body or system of bodies at which the whole mass may be considered as concentrated
Examples of center of mass in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the same time, the speed of warfare continues to accelerate, and space systems have become the center of mass around which all aspects of the fighting forces must be communicated, informed, and directed.
—Charles Beames, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
The final test is the dynamics testing suite, a platform that precisely measures the center of mass of a satellite with incredible precision.
—Jonathan O’Callaghan, WIRED, 14 Aug. 2024
The standard logic for packing a backpack is that anything heavy should sit as close as possible to your center of mass.
—Wes Siler, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024
Suddenly, Butch was caught at the center of mass backlash.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Aug. 2024
First, suppose there's a single force acting on the stick at its center of mass (so right in the middle).
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 2 Aug. 2024
One example is an exotic property of electrons called the electric dipole moment, a small difference between the center of mass of an electron and its center of charge.
—Luke Caldwell, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024
Athletes are most stable when their center of mass is as close to the ground as possible.
—Amy Pope, Discover Magazine, 17 June 2024
Downtown San Jose is not and will never be the center of mass transit needs in Silicon Valley.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 19 June 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'center of mass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1862, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near center of mass
Cite this Entry
“Center of mass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/center%20of%20mass. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
center of mass
: the point in a body or system of bodies at which the whole mass can be thought of as concentrated
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