Center of Mass Sector of a Circle

multivariable-calculus

I'm trying to calculate the center of gravity of a sector of a circular disk with radius $a$ and vertex angle $2\alpha$ and density $\rho$ =1

I found the Mass using $$\int\int_R \rho dxdy= a^2\alpha$$

I then found the moment about the x-axis as $$2\int_{0}^{\alpha}\int_{0}^{a}r\cos\theta rdrd\theta=\frac{2a}{3\alpha}\sin\alpha$$
and then the moment about the y-axis as $$2\int_{0}^{\alpha}\int_{0}^{a}r\sin\theta rdrd\theta=\frac{2a}{3\alpha}(1-\cos\alpha)=\frac{4a}{3\alpha}(\sin\frac{\alpha}{2})$$
My x moment seems to be right but somehow the moment for the y-axis seems should be zero because the center of mass seems to be on the a-xis.
Then shouldn't the calculation yield a zero too?… Where am I going wrong?

Best Answer

The problem is in how you wrote your angular integral. It is not $$2\int_0^\alpha...,$$ but $$\int_{-\alpha}^{\alpha}...$$ Then you will have $\cos\alpha-\cos(-\alpha)=0$.