![center of gravity lab center of gravity lab](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PmkeReqLQqc/T6ThmbDLqeI/AAAAAAAAABQ/5TXrZNM3PD8/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/1.jpg)
In this activity, the center of gravity is straight down from the spot where the toothpick sits on the rim of the glass (called the pivot point). The center of gravity of an object refers to the central location that gravity acts on the object. It stops at the utensils but they remain balanced. When that flame stops, light the end on the outside of the glass and watch it burn. To everyone’s amazement, the toothpick will burn down to the very edge of the glass but the utensils will not fall. Strike a match (that’s a job for an adult) and burn the end of the toothpick hanging over the inside of the glass. Once you’ve mastered the balance, you’re ready to show off a little. Both handles will be curving downward below the rim of the glass and the toothpick will be almost horizontal. Slowly slide it in or out across the rim until you’ve found the best balance point. Work the toothpick into the tines of the fork.Ĭarefully set the toothpick on the rim of the glass. This is where the toothpick should be inserted between the utensils. Balance the utensils on a fingertip to find the middle point. It’s useful if the fork and the spoon weigh about the same. Push the fork and spoon together so the bowl of the spoon is under the two center tines, but over the outer two tines of the fork. (This is probably not the best thing to do with heavy or expensive utensils cheaper is probably better.) Want more Saturday Science? See all of our at-home activities on the blog or Pinterest.Start by pushing the two center tines on the fork upward a little. Once it’s low and centered, though, your craft stick will stand up straight on the pencil like gravity can’t touch it! It is, of course, but you just changed how. If you had to adjust the pipe cleaners on either side at all it was because one or the other was pulling the center of mass too far to the left or right, making balance impossible. That means it takes a lot more motion to dislodge the stick and cause it to tip. That means that even small side-to-side movements move the center of mass farm away from the balance point above the pencil, causing the craft stick to tip over.īy adding the pipe cleaner and clothespins, you’ve added mass to the bottom of the craft stick and that moves its center of mass downward, so it’s close to the pencil. On its own, the craft stick’s center of mass is right in the center of the craft stick, far away from the pencil you were trying to balance it on. By adding the pipe cleaners and clothespins to the craft stick, you’ve changed its shape, and moved its center of mass. When you stand up tall, your center of mass is up high in your body.
![center of gravity lab center of gravity lab](https://stcharles.climbsoill.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/gravity-lab-feature.jpg)
Objects that change shape, like people, can change the locations of their center of mass. It’s the average location of the object’s mass. Why do you think it balances now?Įvery object on Earth has something called a center of gravity or center of mass. You may have to adjust the pipe cleaners a bit on both sides, but you should be able to make it work. Now that you have this weird contraption with sagging clothespins, try to balance it on the pencil again.The weight of the clothespins should pull the pipe cleaner down. Lift up your craft stick with the pipe cleaner/clothespin on the bottom end. Clip a clothespin to each end of the pipe cleaner.Wrap the pipe cleaner around it twice on each side so there is an even amount of pipe cleaner sticking off each end of the craft stick.Lay your pipe cleaner down on the table and place the craft stick right in the middle, near one end of the craft stick.Pick your craft stick up off the floor.Try to stand your craft stick on end and balance it on top of the pencil.Tape one end of your pencil to the table so that most of it is sticking out over the edge.A pencil, pen, or chopstick (as long as it’s thin, long, and round it’ll work).With just a little work you can make some really awesome effects that seem to defy gravity! It always wants to pull you off onto the ground! Today we’re going to set up a really simple experiment with gravity that will seem almost like magic, but I promise it’s not.
![center of gravity lab center of gravity lab](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ab/31/90/ab3190fd3faa39b4a768e35da468e4df.jpg)
Gravity is also one of the things that make it hard to balance when walking on a balance beam or tightrope. Flying off into space would be pretty bad. It pulls us down to the Earth, which is good.