Additional Info

• ID Code: B1-21
• Purpose: Show how arms or a pole are used to obtain greater stability
• Description: As someone walks across the balance beam without a pole, tell the student to take notice how the person’s arms are used to maintain balance in order to keep the center of mass of the system over the beam surface. Now use the pole to walk across the beam to show that walking is easier. Questions: Why does using the pole make walking easier? (A: It increases the moment of inertia.) What happens to the center of mass of the system when the pole is held lower than the person’s center of mass?
• Availability: Available
• References: REFERENCES: (PIRA unknown.)
• Loc codes: OS0