Balance Bird

Balance Bird: This science toy demonstrates the science of gravity and weight distribution in a way that captivates.

The bird’s centre of gravity — also called the centre of mass — is located at the tip of its beak. This is the point at which the mass of the body is perfectly balanced. Just as you can hold a pencil using one finger if you find its centre of gravity, so the balancing bird will balance on its beak. Try balancing this intriguing bird on almost anything you can think of: a tip of a pen, a finger, a phone. Give it a spin and watch in amazement as it still stays balanced.

Balance Bird Science offers an engaging way to teach the scientific concepts of gravity, weight distribution and balance.

Logic and experience tell you that the bird will only balance somewhere around his middle, but impossibly he balances on the very tip of his beak. The explanation lies in the weights located in the tips of the bird’s wings keeping the centre of gravity below its beak (support point). Try spinning him as fast as possible, he will stay balanced until centripetal forces eventually win over and then he goes flying off his support point across the room!

Multi-coloured balancing bird. Wingspan approximately 15 cm.

Teach

• Centre of gravity

• Balance

• Weight distribution

• Forces

Recommended Age

Suitable learning toys for kids of ages above 3 years