Susan L. Norwood
The Center of Gravity
Objective: To have the students to a simple experiment to locate the center of gravity. To have the students understand that gravity affects balance.
Materials: Students and rulers.
Procedure: Have the students balance a ruler on their index fingers, each finger at either end of the ruler. Have the students slowly move their fingers together towards the center. The students should see how they can only move one finger at a time. The finger that is not moving is were the center of gravity is. Eventually both fingers will meet. Try finding the center of gravity with other objects and balancing.
