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Cans on the edge

How to balance a can at an angle

How can you turn a Coca-Cola can into the Lean­ing Tow­er of Pisa?

This activity has been provided by STEAMfest sponsor MEL Science!”

Step-by-step in­struc­tions 

If you try to bal­ance an emp­ty or full can at an an­gle, you’ll find that you can’t. The can’s cen­ter of mass pro­jec­tion ex­tends be­yond the bound­aries formed by the two sup­port points.

Process de­scrip­tion

“Cen­ter of mass” is a point char­ac­ter­iz­ing the move­ment of an ob­ject or sys­tem of ob­jects as a whole. An ob­ject al­ways strives to oc­cu­py a po­si­tion where its cen­ter of mass is low­er. A can rests solid­ly on a ta­ble and is in sta­ble equi­lib­ri­um if the hy­po­thet­i­cal ver­ti­cal line that can be drawn through its cen­ter of mass falls be­tween its ful­crum points. If this is not the case, the can will fall. The can’s cen­ter of mass shifts with the ad­di­tion of wa­ter. If the wa­ter lev­el is such that the pro­jec­tion of the can’s cen­ter of mass falls be­tween its sup­port points, then the can won’t fall.

Journal Questions
  1. What kind of beverage can did you use?
  2. Were you able to balance it on edge?
  3. Does changing the level of beverage in the can change the balance point?

Earn badges and qualify for prize drawing by registering and answering journal questions. It's fun and easy!

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Topics

Science
Grade Level
2-3
4-5
6-8
9-12
K-1

Creator

Mel Science

Mel Science

Science experiments for kids, delivered to your door!

Materials

  • bev­er­age can (0.33L)
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  Photography by: Georgina Emily Photography

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