Just as more force is needed to accelerate a more massive object from rest, more rotational force — or torque, as physicists like to say — is needed to spin an object with more rotational inertia. You can increase this by carrying more mass, and by keeping as much of that mass as far away as possible from your tightrope. Your tightrope is the one thing that you definitely don't want to become an axis of rotation.
Physics teachers like to bring up the example of figure skaters' arms. As a twirling skater draws her arms in, she begins twirling faster.
That's because, by bringing her arms closer to the center of her axis, she decreases her rotational inertia. Her angular momentum is the product of her angular velocity and rotational inertia, so because momentum must be conserved, her speed changes as she decreases her rotational inertia. Rotational inertia increases as the square of the distance from the axis, which is why such an apparently small change in position can have a huge effect on her velocity.
And the same thing works in reverse. By increasing his rotational inertia, Nik Wallenda's pole helps to slow his rotation around the tightrope, giving him more time to react as he starts to tip in one direction or another.
The other advantage to Wallenda's heavy, flexible pole is that it lowers his center of gravity. If you're standing on the ground, the easiest way to make yourself harder to knock over would be to spread your feet apart and bend your knees.
But that wasn't really an option for Wallenda as he walked across the gorge. This is why the poles he carried was flexible instead of rigid.
The weight causes the pole to droop, bringing the center of gravity of the Wallenda plus pole system closer to the steel cable. For all its advantages, however, Wallenda seemed to be happy to be rid of the pole as soon as it was safe. Already a subscriber? Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in.
We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations. The pole also helps balance the funambulist by lowering the center of gravity. High-wire artists use drooping, rather than rigid, balance poles. In this case, the performer would require no more sense of balance than a person hanging from the wire. Acrobats train for years and use mechanics to safely develop routines.
Although a high-wire performance may seem like a combination of courage and magic, remember that there's a lot of work and good, old-fashioned physics thrown into the balance as well! How would maintaining control over your center of balance change as you moved from a high wire to a slack wire to an angled wire? Why do squirrels have long tails? Key Words.
Main Activity. Make your dreams of running away to join the circus come true-at least for a little while. In this activity, you'll construct a tightrope setup, learn the basics of tightrope walking, and understand a little more about the physics behind balancing!
You are on a rooftop, looking across empty air 1, feet above the ground. Your foot dangles over the ledge and touches a steel cable just centimeters wide. As you shift your body forward, hands gripped tight around a balancing pole, you find yourself suspended over a gut-wrenching void.
Acrophobics would surely hope to wake from this nightmare in a cold sweat. But for seasoned tightrope walkers, the dizzying feat can be accomplished if you understand the physics of the human body. Just as it's harder to topple a stout vase than a tall slim one, a human is less likely to fall if the bulk of their mass is closer to the ground—or, in this case, the wire.
Why or why not? Want to become a circus performer one day? You'll learn how to get started and what kinds of balance exercises will help you learn the skills you'll need to master the tightrope! Did you get it? Test your knowledge. Wonder Words exotic fan taut strung stunt chasms unique acrobat poised trapeze daring canyon impressive defying storied entertainment experience horizontally Take the Wonder Word Challenge.
Join the Discussion. Cole May 2, You need to put the video at and you can see the guy land on his face. Also, I would like to walk on a tightrope. May 3, Looks like it would be tough! Let us know if you get to try one, Cole! Nov 17, That's right, lola, it would take lots of practice to achieve! Anneliese Nov 4, Nov 4, We think so too, Anneliese! It must take a lot of practice to master. Liam Nov 4, This is something I've practiced for years but have ever been able to do.
Jack Nov 3, We found that interesting, Jack! Thanks for commenting! Payton Jones Nov 3, I enjoyed this book i thought it would be garbage but really good. Thanks for sharing what you thought, Payton! We're glad it was better than garbage! We agree with you, violet!
It may take many, many tries to master it! Monroe Nov 3, Rin Nov 3, Rin Nov 6, Nov 6,
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