Garage Physics: DIY Center of Mass Soda Kit

Students can engage in hands-on learning with the Garage Physics DIY Centre of Mass Soda Bottle Kit, an interactive resource that brings physics principles to life. This kit offers students the chance to explore the concept of centre of mass by creating an exciting and unconventional balancing act using a standard 2L bottle. With simple components and clear instructions, students will be able to suspend a full bottle at a striking angle using only indirect support, demonstrating principles of balance, stability, and mass distribution. Ideal for classroom demonstrations, group projects, or individual experiments, this kit provides a tangible, real-world approach to understanding theoretical science concepts.

Educational Benefits:

• Demonstrates centre of mass and stability through hands-on experimentation.
• Encourages critical thinking and problem-solving when balancing objects.
• Provides a real-world STEM experience, helping students apply physics concepts to everyday life.
• Develops engineering skills by understanding structural stability and weight distribution.

Classroom Ideas:

• Have students predict and test the bottle's balancing point, adjusting variables for different outcomes.
• Integrate into physics lessons on force, equilibrium, and gravity.
• Compare with EIS00003 DIY Centre of Mass Kit to explore a two-body system in centre of mass studies.
• Conduct team-based challenges to design and test new balancing experiments.

Specifications:

• Kit includes:
  • Balance board
  • Lever arm
  • Cardboard storage box
  • Instructions for assembly and experimental activities
• Required items (not included):
  • Full 2L bottle
  • Pencil
• Optional extras for advanced learning:
  • Small scale
  • Rulers
• Supports learning areas: Physics, engineering, and problem-solving.
• Age suitability: Suitable for middle and secondary school students.

What is Centre of Mass?

Centre of mass, sometimes called the centre of gravity, is the point in any object where its weight is evenly balanced in all directions. Understanding this concept helps explain why some objects balance easily while others topple over.