Name: Christian A.

Limbaro Section: 12 Electra

Balancing Act ‌
Activity 3
(for ICT talented learners /group B- can easily & critically analyze concrete illustrations )
This lab uses the Balancing Act simulation from PhET Interactive Simulations at University of
Colorado Boulder, under the CC-BY 4.0 license.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/balancing-act/latest/balancing-act_en.html
Objectives:
1. Describe the factors that determine whether two objects will balance each other
2. Predict how changing the position of a mass on the balance will affect the motion of the balance
3. Use a balance to the find the masses of unknown objects
Develop your understanding: Explore the Intro screen, then explore to develop your own ideas about
what determines how objects balance each other.

Explain your understanding: Use your own words and captured images from the simulation to
show you can:
1. Make two same mass objects balance in at least two different ways.
a. Place captured images here

b. Explain why it makes sense that there is more than one way to make the objects balance.
Since the mass and the distance are the factors in balancing (torque) different mass
objects, that is why it makes sense in balancing two objects with different mass you just
need to differ the distance to make it equal.
c. What tools did you use to help you and why did they help?
The tools that I have used is the mass labels, forces of the objects, level and it
determining the position I used rulers to identify the needed distance for making the
objects balance and placed them into the right distance depending on their total mass.

2. Make two different mass objects balance in at least two different ways.
a. Place captured images here

b. Explain why it makes sense that there is more than one way to make the objects balance.
Another way in making the two different mass to balance is by putting them in the right
displacement, even though the two objects may differ in masses still if its placed in the
right displacement it will still balanced
c. Did you use different tools? What tools did you use to help you and why did they help?
I used the same tool, and it really help specially the level because it will determine if the
two objects are evenly balanced.
Test your understanding: Open the Balance Lab screen, use some different objects and masses to
apply your ideas.
 3. Make two same mass objects balance in at least two different ways.
a. Place captured images here

b. How did your explanations and tool use ideas from #1 help you?
It helps me to find the right displacement of the objects since the mass of the two objects
are the same, then it can be place anywhere as long as they’re the same

4. Make two different mass objects balance in at least two different ways.
a. Place captured images here

b. How did your explanations and tool use ideas from #2 help you?
Since number 2 is uses the different objects and mass, in order to balance them I just need
to place them in the distance where the object has the more weight should be place the same in the
weight closely to the more weight and make use of the lesser weight to make it balance.

Expand your understanding: Use the Balance Lab screen, to meet these challenges.
5. Balancing a single mass on one side with two other masses. Show at least two experiments.
a. Place captured images here

b. What strategies did you use? Include screen images to help your description.

6. Consider this situation without using the simulation:

a. Predict what will happen when the supports are removed and explain your reasoning.
It will remain balance, since the mass of the adult guy is much heavier than the girl but
the displacement of the girl is far from the center so it will still balance
b. Predict what will happen if the 80 kg adult was further from the pivot (more right) and
explain your reasoning.
 The adult guy will now dominate and it will go the balance to right reaching the groung
because the distance is been adjusted so it will now affect the balance
c. Predict what will happen if the 30 kg child was closer to the pivot (more right) and
explain your reasoning.
The balance will go right, since she weigh on 30kg while the adult guy is 80kg they really
differ in masses so the closer the girl from the pivot then the balance will loose
d. Test your predictions in the Balance Lab. Make notes about any ideas you have that need
to be changed.
My prediction were right and accurate
e. What are some rules you could use to make predictions for other situations where masses
are on a balance?
The rules that I think I can use of is the same in no 1 to 5, in order to make the object
balance we should check the level and use the rules to determine the distance and make
adjustments depends on the mass of the object
f. Test your rules with some situations in the lab. Make corrections if needed, then show
evidence that your rules work.

In this situation I tried to use two different objects to balance the one object which is the
old guy weigh 80kg while in left side the girl weighing 60 then I matched it with the
brick that has the mass of 15kg then placed it further to hold the balance.

Demonstrate your Understanding

7. Select three mystery objects and determine each mass.

Provide screen captures for evidence and explain how you used your answers in #1-6
a. answer and explain here

The mass of mystery box A is 80kg and the mystery box B is 30kg
b. answer and explain here

c. answer and explain here

 Balancing Act Game

Test your understanding and use the rules you have developed:
Open the full simulation Balancing Act, then open the Game screen.

1. Play Level 1
a. Did you have to change your rules or do you have other ideas to make you get a better score? Include
screen captures from the simulation to help explain.

b. When you complete the level 1 game, capture the screen with your score. Paste it below like this:

2. Play Level 2
a. Explain what makes the level more difficult or different from previous levels. Do you have new strategy
ideas or rules? Include screen captures from the simulation to help explain.

b. When you complete the level, capture the screen with your score and paste it below:

3. Play Level 3
a. Explain what makes the level more difficult or different from previous levels. Do you have new strategy
ideas or rules? Include screen captures from the simulation to help explain.

b. When you complete the level, capture the screen with your score and paste it below:

4. Play Level 4
a. Explain what makes the level more difficult or different from previous levels. Do you have new strategy
ideas or rules? Include screen captures from the simulation to help explain.

b. When you complete the level, capture the screen with your score and paste it below:

Final Score:
After you play all levels of the game. Copy and paste your final results like this

Extra challenge: For an extra challenge, you can turn on the timer and see if you can improve your skills.