Mechanics - January 2006, All Stages

Problems

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Weighted Numbers

Stage: 1 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

Use the number weights to find different ways of balancing the equaliser.

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Number Balance

Stage: 1 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Can you hang weights in the right place to make the equaliser balance?

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Are You Well Balanced?

Stage: 1 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

Can you work out how to balance this equaliser? You can put more than one weight on a hook.

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Add the Weights

Stage: 2 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

If you have only four weights, where could you place them in order to balance this equaliser?

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Coin Cogs

Stage: 2 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Can you work out what is wrong with the cogs on a UK 2 pound coin?

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Turning Cogs

Stage: 2 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

What happens when you turn these cogs? Investigate the differences between turning two cogs of different sizes and two cogs which are the same.

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Balancing 1

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

Meg and Mo need to hang their marbles so that they balance. Use the interactivity to experiment and find out what they need to do.

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Balancing 2

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Meg and Mo still need to hang their marbles so that they balance, but this time the constraints are different. Use the interactivity to experiment and find out what they need to do.

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Balancing 3

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

Mo has left, but Meg is still experimenting. Use the interactivity to help you find out how she can alter her pouch of marbles and still keep the two pouches balanced.

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Inside Outside

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

Balance the bar with the three weight on the inside.

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Swings and Roundabouts

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

If you were to set the X weight to 2 what do you think the angle might be?

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Balance Point

Stage: 4 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

Attach weights of 1, 2, 4, and 8 units to the four attachment points on the bar. Move the bar from side to side until you find a balance point. Is it possible to predict that position?

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Whoosh

Stage: 5 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:1

A ball whooshes down a slide and hits another ball which flies off the slide horizontally as a projectile. How far does it go?

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Whirlyball

Stage: 5 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Whirl a conker around in a horizontal circle on a piece of string. What is the smallest angular speed with which it can whirl?

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Wobbler

Stage: 5 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

A cone is glued to a hemisphere. When you place it on a table in what position does it come to rest?

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