URL: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/balancing-act

Offline version is available

Topics

• Balance
• Rotational Equilibrium
• Lever Arm
• Torque
• Proportional Reasoning

Description

Play with objects on a teeter totter to learn about balance. Test what you’ve learned by trying the Balance Challenge game.

Sample Learning Goals

• Predict how objects of various masses can be used to make a plank balance.
• Predict how changing the positions of the masses on the plank will affect the motion of the plank.
• Write rules to predict which way a plank will tilt when objects are placed on it.
• Use your rules to solve puzzles about balancing.

This interactive learning activity is aligned with Solomon Islands Year Seven Science Curriculum:

• Strand: Introduction to Science
• Sub-strand: 7.1 What is Science?
• General Learning Outcome: 7.1.10 be able to use balances (s)
• Specific Learning Outcome: 7.1.10.1 demonstrate the use of balances; beam balance and electronic balance

All simulations available at http://phet.colorado.edu are open educational resources available under the Creative Commons Attribution license (CC-BY).

Permission is granted to freely use, share, or redistribute PhET sims under the CC-BY license.

Attribution: PhET Interactive Simulations
University of Colorado Boulder
https://phet.colorado.edu