Barycentre

The centre of mass (or centre of gravity) of a set of points. In the dynamics of a rigid body, the forces acting may be resolved into those displacing the body as a whole, which may be considered as acting at the centre of mass, and rotational forces. For example, a rigid body moves under the influence of gravity as if its mass were concentrated at the barycentre. Geometrically, the barycentre is at the centroid of the body.

See Barycentric coordinates.

References

• Woodhouse, N.M.J. Introduction to analytical dynamics Clarendon Press (1987) ISBN 0-19-853198-2 Zbl 0608.70001