A well-balanced construction
5 minutesThere are lots of different ways to build a construction. For example, by choosing strong materials or by making clever use of natural forces, like gravity. Can you hang a heavy hammer from a table using only a ruler and a piece of string?
Requirements
Steps
Tie the ends of the string together to make a loop. Put the loop around the hammer.
Tip: Don’t make your loop too small. You can always tighten the string if you need to make the loop smaller.
Slide the ruler through the loop as well. The ruler should be on top and the hammer below. Try to hold it so that the end of the hammer is touching the ruler.
Now place the ruler at the edge of the table. Make sure that the loop is as close to the table as possible.
Now you should be able to let go of the construction… and it will stay firmly in place!
Tip: Try putting the ruler in different positions on the table. If you get the balance right, only the very end of the ruler needs to be on the table.
What did you discover
You have created a hanging construction that makes clever use of gravity and the balance between forces. This experiment shows how the laws of physics can be used to do things that seem impossible at first. In this construction, you made use of stability and balance. These forces are also important when building a suspension bridge, for example.