Explore the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw
Balance a plank with bricks, crates and people, learn torque, and work out a mystery mass. Free, no signup, runs in your browser.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
See it in action
The Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw with sample data entered and the result showing.
What is the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw?
Balance a plank with bricks, crates and people, learn torque, and work out a mystery mass. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.
Levers, cranes, scales, doors and even your own arm work on the principle of torque.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
Torque = force × distance from the pivot.
A plank balances when the clockwise and anticlockwise torques are equal.
A small mass far away can balance a big mass close in.
Balance a 20 kg crate with a 10 kg brick.
Put an adult and a kid on and balance them.
Solve the mystery mass and press Reveal.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
Physics learners
Physics students in middle school, high school and first-year university, teachers who want a quick demonstration for the projector, and anyone revising for exams.
Try it freeTeachers
For teachers: project the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw on the board, let students predict the result, then run it together and test this: Put an adult and a kid on and balance them. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Try it freeHow it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This simulation | Textbook diagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Drag, tap and change settings | Fixed picture |
| Install | Nothing to install | Not needed |
| Cost | Free to use | Depends on the book |
Questions people ask
How do you balance a seesaw?
Make the torque on the left (mass × distance) equal to the torque on the right.
How can you find a mystery mass?
Balance it with a known mass, then use m₁ d₁ = m₂ d₂ to solve for the unknown.
Is the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw free to use?
Yes. The Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Physics group of AZRS simulations.
Does the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can use its 1 adjustable settings with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.
How do I use the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw?
1. In the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw, use the controls to change Supports. The simulation reacts instantly. 2. In the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw, pick an option such as Supports on, Supports off, Balance lab, Mystery mass to switch modes or load an example. 3. In the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw, press "Reveal mystery", "Clear plank" to start, reset or change what is happening. 4. Start with this experiment: Balance a 20 kg crate with a 10 kg brick. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw responds in real time. 5. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Torque = force × distance from the pivot.
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Try the Balancing Act: Torque & Seesaw now
Balance a plank with bricks, crates and people, learn torque, and work out a mystery mass. Free to use.
Try it free