Living "On The Edge"Sofia SignesAward: Top 100
School: valhalla high school This image is of a hammer hanging from a shelf, seemingly defying the laws of gravity. However, after a closer look, we can see that the perfect location of the center of mass is what allows the hammer to hang so perfectly. If we were to find the center of mass of a wooden board with equal mass on either side, we would easily be able to say that the center of mass of the board was in the middle. In our case, due to the uneven distribution of weight along the hammer, the rubber band was placed much closer to the metal end of the hammer, allowing it to hang with the ruler almost entirely off of the shelf. To put the concept of center of mass more simply, it is the art of balance. Although the hammer is supported only by the very end of the ruler, it is balanced because the heaviest part of the hammer serves as a counterbalance to keep the whole system from tipping over. For example, if the hammer were directly underneath the middle of the ruler, the center of mass would not be under the shelf, and therefore would not be able to balance. Although we do not see examples like this every day, next time you try to balance something, consider the center of mass! 
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