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You will need a partner for part of this experiment. You can take
turns with your partner determining each other's center of gravity. Each
team can take a turn during class.
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Place 2 bathroom scales on 2 chairs.
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Lay a pencil horizontally across each scale and place a board on top
of the pencils. The board should be sturdy enough to support you. The
pencils should be shaped so as not to roll easily.
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Read the scales and record the sum of the readings on a piece of
paper. This is the weight of the board.
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Measure the distance between the pencils, which is considered the
length of the board. Record this value on your piece of paper.
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Now lie on the board with the bottom of your feet just above the
position of the pencil on the right. Hold your arms by your sides.
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Have your partner record the scale readings on your paper: the scale
nearer your head and the scale nearer your feet.
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Finally, stand against a wall and have your partner measure your
height. Record this value on your paper.
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Since you placed your feet over the right pencil when you did the
experiment, X, the distance from the right pencil to the center of
gravity of the body, is also the distance from your feet to your center
of gravity when you are standing.
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In translation: for your center of gravity it is the length of the
distance between the scales times, (subtracting the reading of the left
scale minus the weight of the board divided by 2 over the reading of the
left scale plus the reading of the right scale minus the weight of the
board) = X. X is the center of your gravity.
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