physikanten & co // Experiments // Cutting a broom

Cutting a broom

If you want to find the centre of mass of a longish object you can use this simple trick. Put e.g. a broom onto your two index fingers and move them together slowly. At the point where both fingers meet you will find the centre of mass.
What happens if you cut the broom apart at the centre of mass? Which side is heavier? Or do both weigh the same?
The result: The part with the brush is heavier.

How does it work?
This quickly becomes clear   if you compare the broom to a seesaw. If an adult wants to play with a child on it, the child need to sit at the very end of the seesaw and the adult needs to sit close to the middle. The long part (e.g. the stick or the half of the seesaw with the child on it) is lighter than the shorter part (e.g. the brush or the side of the adult). The short part with the brush needs to be heavier to balance the longer bit.

Cutting a broom:
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