Brady unliams
Name__________________________________
Period_________________________________
Date___________________________________
PhET Balancing Act html5
CLICK!
Set-up: Choose “Introduction”
Check all of the “show” boxes. 
Add supports.
Choose
Part 1 Directions: Add masses to each side of the fulcrum. Remove
supports and see if you are balanced. Draw 4 different ways to balance the masses. At least 2
of your pictures must use both the 10kg (100N) mass and one or two 5 kg (50N) masses. Use 1A and 1B as
examples of bad (1A ) and good (1B ). For each side of the fulcrum, find the N*m as shown in 1A, 1B.
NOT BALANCED! 
1A.
N*m:
50N*2m =
100N*m
≠
BALANCED!! 
1B.
50N*m
=50N*1m
1C.
N*m:
50N*0.5m = 25N*m
=
25N*m =50N*0.5m
1D
it
it
N*m:50N.am
100mm
= loom
it
it it
noon.im
1E.
N*m:
=
50Nt.tmtson.im2sa1aonm
1oon.l.dim
1F.
it
it
it
N*m:
sow.amtsiv.lu150mm
=
Mown 100Nt.im
it
N*m:
175mm
1sn
sow.amtsow
=
175hmloom1.75m
Part 1 Question: What do you notice about the N*m for your balanced masses?
The Norton refers on th
Nertonmeters
left of the
on the night
fulcrum equaledthe
of the fulcrum
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/balancing-act/latest/balancing-act_en.html
AA31 Labs
whams
Name__________________________________
brady
Period_________________________________
Date___________________________________
Set-up: Choose “Balance Lab”
Check all of the “show” boxes. 
Add supports.
Choose
Your mission is to find the masses of ALL of the Mystery objects. Figure out the torque (N*m)
for each mystery object and divide by the distance (m). Draw the balanced pictures, below.
Mystery
What does each mystery object weigh?
Show work here for each side…
Balancing pictures
210
Aw.la Awm
200N
=
200mm doom.im
20 N
N
2B
a
Bu
MB
p
Me
ION
0.5h = t.sn
42 1.5B
Cu
cw3Bu
sesh
In16
B
a
D
=
D=
N
150N
3 100
N
EE
50
3Bw
N
Deion
1717 AM
0.54W
BN
50N
A
=
goN
Iftar
90N
N
=
th
550N
N
17
26
A
:
TH TH
MA
1.5
=
a
6
04
4
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/balancing-act/latest/balancing-act_en.html
H
É
275N
N
=
75N
N
AA31 Labs
Name__________________________________
Brady Williams
Period_________________________________
Date___________________________________
Set-up: Choose “Game”
Choose level:
Play each level and record your best score in the boxes
AAAAA
Best
Score
1212
AAAAA
Best
Score
1212
AAAAA
Best
Score
122
AA
Best
Score
1212
Post-lab Questions:
Why do you think the simulation is called “Balancing Act”?
goal is to even the Merton meters
on each side of the fulcrumHence Bateman it
Because the
What are the two main factors in the weight on each side of the fulcrum?
from the centerand the
mass of the object
What happens when the sides are not balanced?
The distance
One
side dips to the ground and theother goes
up
Going further:
What real-life application(s) can you think of that can (and does) use the principles of this lab?
A
see saw in parks are essentially
fulcrums Some scales use fulcrums to meanuse
weights
of objects
What are two occupations that this knowledge could be useful to have (outside of physics teacher…)?
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/balancing-act/latest/balancing-act_en.html
AA31 Labs