English National Curriculum - Science
Mission Objectives
Describe how mass acts through the centre of mass and how it helps objects to stay stable
Identify the centre of mass of a regular shaped object
Identify the centre of mass of an irregular shaped object
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Words and meanings to learn
balance
a condition where an object stays steady and doesn’t tip over, usually because its centre of mass is above its base of support
weight
the force of gravity acting on an object; it depends on the object’s mass and the gravitational field strength
plumbline
a string with a weight at the end, used to find a vertical line or direction; it's often used to locate the centre of mass when an object is suspended
centre of mass
the point in an object where all its mass seems to be concentrated; it's the point where the object balances evenly in all directions
suspended equilibrium
a state when an object is hanging and remains still because its centre of mass is directly below the point of suspension, meaning the object is balanced
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