You jump on one side, your friend on the other — up, down, up, down! But sometimes it gets stuck with one side stuck on the ground.
In this Spark you'll discover the secret rule that makes a seesaw sit perfectly level. Ready? Tap “Next” to begin!
Every seesaw has 3 important parts. Tap each glowing dot to find out what it does!
If two people weigh the same and sit the same distance from the middle, the seesaw stays perfectly level. Nobody goes up, nobody goes down.
👀 Look: same weight + same distance = balanced!
But what happens when one side is heavier? Let's test it next… ➡️
A big elephant 🐘 and a little mouse 🐭 sit the SAME distance from the middle. Which side will sink to the ground?
Here's the secret: a lighter person can still win — by sitting further away from the middle!
The heavy 4kg block is close in. Slide the light 2kg block out until the seesaw is perfectly level.
Scientists found the magic recipe:
The left side is fixed at 3kg × 2m = 6. Change the right block's weight and distance to also make 6!
The puzzle: A heavy big brother 🧑 and a light little sister 🧒 want to seesaw together and stay level. They weigh different amounts.
What is the smartest way to balance them?
Here's everything you discovered:
Next time you're at the playground, try it out — slide closer and further and feel the rule for yourself! 🌟
Well done, scientist! 👏