PHYSICS - Centre Of Mass/Gravity Experiment?

I have a physics lab to complete and I have two answer these questions as it pertains to the lab For this lab, we made 3 holes in a lamina (irregularly shaped piece of cardboard ans hung it from a pivot, then we hung a plumbline (piece of string) in front of it. Whereever the string cut the hole, we would mark the spot and draw a line to connect it to its respective hole. We repeated this procedure for each hole, and where the lines intersected each other, we said that was the centre of gravity. here are the questions, I need help with? how was the location of the centre of gravity confirmed ? how is it possible to balance an object at its centre of gravity/mass? what does each plumbline represent? State 2 precautions when carrying out this experiment State 2 possible sources of error

In the method I think you meant to say .. "Where the string cuts the edge of thelamina, we marked the spot .. .. " (1) The lamina should balance (horizontally) on a point (eg pencil end or point) placed directly below the CoM point. (2) The CoM is the point from where the whole mass of the lamina APPEARS to act .. so it is the point from which the whole weight appears to act as a single downward force. The only place a single upward supporting force can be applied is directly below the CoM .. with the two forces (weight and support) passing through the same pivot pointso as not to cause a turning moment to upset the balance. (3) The plumbline gives a vertical line below each pivot point .. the lamina comes to rest when it's CoM is at it's lowest point .. which is somewhere along the vertical line below the pivot.( hence the need to perform this method from at least two separate pivot points) (4) Ensure the lamina is freely pivoted (and doesn't stick on the pivot) Ensure the plumbline hangs close to the lamina without rubbing against it.(both line and lamina must settle freely) (5) Error involved in marking the plumbline position onto the lamina (without disturbing their relative positions) Error due to pivots not being entirely frictionless (lamina not settling with it's CoM exactly below the pivot)