Push, Pull and Balance
Explore pushes and pulls, stretching springs and balancing a see-saw. School value: gravity = 10 N/kg.
The spring
A force is a push or a pull. It can change an object's shape, speed or direction.
Stretch of spring (cm)
MeasuredYour choice
Your challenge
Set an answer, then press Check.
The physics
A spring stretches more when more identical weights are attached, as long as it has not passed its limit. Once overstretched, the simple pattern cannot predict its extension.
A see-saw is balanced when the two sides have equal turning effects. Putting a heavier child closer to the middle can balance a lighter child sitting farther away. We treat the board as rigid and weightless.