What happens when the center of mass of an object is outside its base of support?

When the center of mass of an object is located outside its base of support, the object becomes unstable. The center of mass is the point where the mass of the object is balanced, and the base of support refers to the area beneath the object that allows it to maintain its position.

When the center of mass shifts beyond this base, the center of gravity is no longer vertically aligned with the point of support, leading to a torque that causes the object to rotate around the edge of its base. This results in the object toppling over. Essentially, if you visualize an object on a narrow base, as it tilts and moves its center of mass outside of that base, it will lose balance and fall in the direction of the center of mass.

This principle is crucial in understanding stability in objects ranging from simple blocks to complex structures, where maintaining an appropriate center of mass relative to the base of support is essential for preventing tipping.