Investigating the Center of Gravity Classroom Kit

 

Students will take an investigation-based approach to finding an object's center of gravity with this teacher-developed kit. It encourages students to collaborate and identify patterns between the different shapes in their group. As a whole class, students apply their findings to the teacher's "challenge shape" only to discover that the object's center of gravity does not need to be part of the object at all!

 

Knowing how gravity acts on an object is a valuable concept for students whether they go on to study physics or not. It is not just for free body diagrams! Understanding the cause and effect of gravity on an object is important in a wide range of applications from hitting a homer on the baseball diamond to designing and constructing the structures we live in.

 

Each complete kit contains supplies for six student groups. Included are four different shapes with holes along their perimeters, pins for hanging each of the four student shapes, cleverly designed pendula, and dry-erase markers for drawing the gravitational axes. Finally, one large teacher shape, one large pendulum, and an extra pin make up the teacher's challenge set.