Centre of gravity of a quadrant of a circle For a plane quadrant of a circle of radius r, the centre of gravity (centroid) lies along the central radius at a distance from the circle's center equal to:

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: 4r / (3π)

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Locating centroids of standard plane figures is essential for calculating bending stresses, locating neutral axes, and setting up composite-area problems in mechanics of materials.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Figure: a quadrant (one-fourth) of a circle, radius r.
  • Uniform area density (homogeneous lamina).
  • Centroid lies along the central radius (the bisector of the right angle).


Concept / Approach:
The centroid of a circular arc, sector, and quadrant are standard results. For a quadrant of a circle (area), the distance of the centroid from the circle center along the bisector is x_c = 4r / (3π) ≈ 0.424 r. This is obtained by integrating the area’s first moments or from tabulated centroid formulae used in engineering handbooks.



Step-by-Step Solution:

Define polar element: dA = r dθ dr over θ ∈ [0, π/2], r ∈ [0, R].Use symmetry to conclude centroid lies on the bisector; only radial distance is unknown.Compute first moment along the bisector and divide by total area (π r^2 / 4).Result simplifies to x_c = 4r / (3π).


Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with numerical value: 4/(3π) ≈ 0.424 < 0.5, hence centroid is inside the quadrant closer to the corner than to the midpoint of the radius, which matches intuition.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • r/2, 0.6 r, 3r/4, r/π: Do not match the standard derived centroid position; several are dimensionally fine but numerically incorrect.


Common Pitfalls:
Confusing centroid of a quadrant (area) with that of a circular arc; the arc centroid distance is 2r/π ≈ 0.637 r, not applicable here.



Final Answer:
4r / (3π)


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