▁center - of - gravity ▁and ▁the ▁mass - center . ▁ ▁Any ▁horizontal ▁offset ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁will ▁result ▁in ▁an ▁applied ▁tor que . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁useful ▁to ▁note ▁that ▁the ▁mass - center ▁is ▁a ▁fixed ▁property ▁for ▁a ▁given ▁rig id ▁body ▁( e . g . ▁with ▁no ▁sl osh ▁or ▁art ic ulation ), ▁whereas ▁the ▁center - of - gravity ▁may , ▁in ▁addition , ▁depend ▁upon ▁its ▁orientation ▁in ▁a ▁non - uniform ▁gravit ational ▁field . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁latter ▁case , ▁the ▁center - of - gravity ▁will ▁always ▁be ▁located ▁somewhat ▁closer ▁to ▁the ▁main ▁attract ive ▁body ▁as ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁mass - center , ▁and ▁thus ▁will ▁change ▁its ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁body ▁of ▁interest ▁as ▁its ▁orientation ▁is ▁changed . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁dynamics ▁of ▁aircraft , ▁vehicles ▁and ▁vessels , ▁forces ▁and ▁moments ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁resolved ▁relative ▁to ▁the ▁mass ▁center . ▁That ▁is ▁true ▁independent ▁of ▁whether ▁gravity ▁itself ▁is ▁a ▁consideration . ▁ ▁Refer ring ▁to ▁the ▁mass - center ▁as ▁the ▁center - of - gravity ▁is ▁something ▁of ▁a ▁col lo qu ial ism , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁in ▁common ▁usage ▁and ▁when ▁gravity ▁gradient ▁effects ▁are ▁neg lig ible , ▁center - of - gravity ▁and ▁mass - center ▁are ▁the ▁same ▁and ▁are ▁used ▁inter change ably . ▁ ▁In ▁physics ▁the ▁benefits ▁of ▁using ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁mass ▁to ▁model ▁a ▁mass ▁distribution ▁can ▁be ▁seen