Post by ironhold on Nov 8, 2012 3:33:02 GMT
All experiments posted in this section should be done with adult supervision in a controlled environment and with reasonable safety precautions.
This is an experiment that I used to do once upon a time to amuse myself.
Take two pencils of the same type, but with one pencil just a hair shorter or longer than the other.
Take one of the pencils. Place it on a pivot point so that the long ends are hanging off, much like on a see-saw. Gently slide the pencil until it balances on the pivot; it should remain in place under its own power and should hopefully not be leaning by more than a token amount. (I personally use the side of an index finger; if the pencil is balanced properly, you can actually slowly move your arm around without the pencil falling off.)
Take a marker and mark the exact point at which the first pencil has found its balance.
Take the first pencil off of the pivot and set it next to the second one. Copy the line on to the second pencil.
Take the second pencil and set it on the pivot point so that the mark is right where the balance point should be.
Is it balanced? Or is it leaning?
Slide the second pencil around until you discover the center of balance for the second pencil.
Why did the second pencil have a different balance point? Is it because it was a different length than the first one?
Bingo.
As the length of an item shifts, so shifts its center of balance.
Video of me attempting the experiment:
This is an experiment that I used to do once upon a time to amuse myself.
Take two pencils of the same type, but with one pencil just a hair shorter or longer than the other.
Take one of the pencils. Place it on a pivot point so that the long ends are hanging off, much like on a see-saw. Gently slide the pencil until it balances on the pivot; it should remain in place under its own power and should hopefully not be leaning by more than a token amount. (I personally use the side of an index finger; if the pencil is balanced properly, you can actually slowly move your arm around without the pencil falling off.)
Take a marker and mark the exact point at which the first pencil has found its balance.
Take the first pencil off of the pivot and set it next to the second one. Copy the line on to the second pencil.
Take the second pencil and set it on the pivot point so that the mark is right where the balance point should be.
Is it balanced? Or is it leaning?
Slide the second pencil around until you discover the center of balance for the second pencil.
Why did the second pencil have a different balance point? Is it because it was a different length than the first one?
Bingo.
As the length of an item shifts, so shifts its center of balance.
Video of me attempting the experiment:
