Perform a magic trick using science! Balance a fork and a spoon on the edge of a toothpick, with the other end of the toothpick just touching the rim of a glass.
What you need:
- a fork and a spoon (or two forks)
- a toothpick
- matches
- glass half full of water
What to do:
- The glass needs to have some water in it for weight.
- Push the fork and spoon together so the spoon goes over the two inside prongs and under the two outside prongs.
- Place a toothpick in between the middle of the fork’s prongs.
- Using the toothpick, balance the cutlery on the edge of the glass. You might have to angle the toothpick towards the spoon, and you will probably need to use a point near the end of the toothpick.
- Using the matches, light the end of the toothpick that is over the water. You could also light the other end (the one past the fork and spoon) if you wanted to.
- Watch what happens.
What happens:
The toothpick will stop burning once it gets to the rim of the glass. You could knock any remaining burnt pieces into the water. Even though the toothpick is just on the edge of the glass, the entire thing remains balanced. This is because of the centre of gravity, which is the middle point where something can be balanced. The centre of gravity is found over the edge of the glass because of the way the fork and spoon go down and towards the middle. Burning the toothpick does not change the the centre of gravity, so the cutlery doesn’t fall.
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