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

Time Traveler
The first known use of center of mass was in 1862

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 10 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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