Balancing Act
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About
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.
For Teachers
Teacher Tips
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Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking (PDF). |
Teacher-Submitted Activities
Title |
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Authors | Level | Type | Updated |
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Balancing Act Inquiry |
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Ariel Paul | MS | Lab | 5/26/15 |
Balancing Act Homework Activity 1 and 2 |
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kimberly skinner | HS | HW | 8/11/12 | |
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS |
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Trish Loeblein | HS | Other | 10/19/15 | |
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? |
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Sarah Borenstein | MS | Other | 10/19/15 | |
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment | Elyse Zimmer | MS HS |
Other | 10/19/15 | ||
Balancing act 1 | Witold Ferens | MS HS |
Guided HW |
9/28/15 | ||
PhET Simulations Aligned for AP Physics C | Roberta Tanner | HS | Other | 8/12/15 | ||
Balancing Act PhET Lab | Chris Bires | HS MS |
Lab | 1/19/12 | ||
Momentenwet | Bonita Bronsteijn | HS | HW Lab |
3/11/15 |
Translations
Related Simulations
Software Requirements
Windows | Macintosh | Linux |
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Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later
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OS 10.5 or later Sun Java 1.5.0_19 or later
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Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later
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Credits
Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
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