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EXPERIMENT 3
KEYWORDS: FORCE AND
LEVER ARM
Picture a see-saw with a person on either
end. If the two people are the same weight
and the pivot point (or fulcrum) is in the
middle, then the see-saw is balanced. If
one person is heavier, he or she must slide
in toward the fulcrum, so the weight
balances out. The force that a load exerts
on a lever is equal to the weight of the load
times its distance from the fulcrum,
otherwise known as the
lever arm.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
If the beetle's legs are pointed in the same direction on both the right and left sides, the insect's center of gravity
will lie precisely in the center (in other words, right in the middle of the vibrating motor). If you bend the legs in a
different direction on just one side, the center of gravity shifts to another location. Any object will have a center
of gravity, which is the location where its weight is equal on all sides.
Beetling along
YOU WILL NEED
› The assembled vibro-beetle
› 3 x AAA batteries or 3 x AAA rechargeable batteries
HERE'S HOW
1. Start by following the assembly instructions for your
vibro-beetle. You will find the instructions on the
following pages.
2. Remove the beetle's legs and open the cover on the
underside of the vibrating motor. Insert the batteries in
the direction indicated in the compartments. Then
replace the cover and reattach the legs.
3. Slide the switch on the underside of the vibrating motor
in one direction or the other. Bend the legs so that they
are pointed the same way on both sides and so they
touch the ground. Does the beetle start crawling off
right away?
4. Watch how the beetle moves across the ground. Next,
try changing the position of the legs. Bend all three legs
on one side upward. Does the beetle move differently
now?
Vibration Technology
11
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