Bear on a LogGavin BreedeAward: Top 100
School: glenbard west high school This cute bear is sitting on top of three separate logs that are above ground. The logs system is in both translational and rotational equilibrium. To my knowledge this system has at least 7 different subsystems in equilibrium! The bear is in equilibrium relative to the logs from the normal force generated by the logs. The normal force from the logs on the bear equals the weight of the bear. The logs are in equilibrium to the ground. The weight of the bear and the logs is distributed between each log limb. The ground provides a normal force to each of the limbs. The limbs are laying on top of each other at an angle, meaning there is a torque. Forces acting on the bottom log create torques about a pivot point, and those torques cancel out the torques created from gravity and the bear's weight. The bear also distributes its mass so that around its center of mass relatively evenly so that the force of gravity doesn't make the bear fall off the logs. Having its paws on a log, allows the bear to lean forward without falling over. All of the forces and torques in the system cancel out, meaning the net force and net torque for a bear on a massive tripod/stool is literally zero. 
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