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Center of Gravity (bottles)

A bottle of water, and a piece of wood with a hole in it
A bottle of water, and a piece of wood with a hole in it.
The water bottle's neck is inserted in the hole in the piece of wood, and they balance on the base of the wood
They balance!

Improbably, the water bottle balances perfectly when placed in the wood holder. This is because the base of the piece of wood is directly below the center of gravity of the combination.

Materials

  • a long-necked water bottle
  • a wooden slat

Construction Instructions

Fill the bottle with water and tape the cap shut.

Cut a hole in the slat of wood as shown, and mitre the base of the slat appropriately.