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 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 With an athlete’s center of mass closer to the ground, the athlete decreases the distance between the pivot point – the ground – and where the force of gravity is applied – the athlete’s center of mass. Amy Pope, Discover Magazine, 17 June 2024 According to the theory, there should be only a minuscule separation between an electron's center of mass and center of charge—in other words, its electric dipole moment. Luke Caldwell, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 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, 16 Jan. 2024 The results: the best free-throw shooters had more control over the shooting motion, particularly over key variables like lower knee and center of mass peak and mean angular velocities, compared to less skilled shooters. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 1 Jan. 2024 This center of mass for both orbiting bodies is located over a thousand miles beneath the Earth’s surface. Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 1 Dec. 2023 How Does a Turkey Trot? To achieve movement, the turkey must first pitch itself forward, sending its center of mass in front of its feet. Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 21 Nov. 2023 Displace the center of mass too far toward one edge, and the plate would rapidly nosedive and crash. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 14 Nov. 2023

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 2 Jul. 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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