Can the center of gravity be located outside of an object?

The center of gravity can indeed be a concept that may seem counterintuitive, but it is essential to understand that it is always defined in relation to the entire mass of an object. While it might feel logical to think of the center of gravity as being contained within the physical boundaries of an object, it is crucial to recognize that the center of gravity represents a point where the weight of the object is considered to be concentrated for purposes of analysis under gravitational attraction.

In certain circumstances, particularly with irregularly shaped objects or assemblies of multiple parts, the center of gravity could be located outside the actual material bounds of the object; however, this does not apply universally. Specifically, for uniform, solid objects, the center of gravity will always remain within the object's mass. Understanding this concept is fundamental in fields like engineering and physics, where the stability and balance of structures depend on accurate calculations of the center of gravity.