Reply
Sat 9 Oct, 2010 05:48 pm
A balanced see-saw extending out 4 feet on each side balanced with 4 pounds on each end.
Say it takes exactly 1 pound of additional weight on one end to offset the balance enough for that end to go to the ground.
Now the same see-saw except instead of extending out 4 feet on each side, it extends out 1 foot on one side and 7 feet on the other. It is again balanced, and still has 4 pounds on the long side and enough additional weight to balance it on the short side.
Would it still take the same additional 1 pound of weight on the end of the long side to make that side go to the ground, or would it take less since it's further out from the center... Or more?
It would take 4 x 7 = 28 pounds on the short side to balance the 4 pounds on the long side. Any more on either side would eventually cause it to go to ground. There may be some minimum unbalanced weight necessary to overcome friction, but, ignoring friction, any departure from balance will eventually cause one side to touch the ground.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace