Suppose that a heavy person and a light person are balanced on a teeter-totter m

Question

Suppose that a heavy person and a light person are balanced on a teeter-totter made of a plank of wood. Each person now moves in toward the fulcrum a distance of 25 cm. What effect will this have on the balance of the teeter-totter?

A) The teeter-totter will remain in balance.

B) The light person's end will go down.

C) The heavy person's end will go down.

D) One cannot tell whether either end will rise or fall without knowing the relative mass of the plank.

E) Only if the plank has significant mass will the light person's end go down.

Explanation / Answer

The lighter person will have more torque on the system because since he must be further out from the fulcrum to maintain system balance, 25cm would be less of a change in moment-arm than the heavy person.

since their weight does not change, the heavier person will loose torque on the system and will raise in the air.

The light person will sink down.

So, Answer is B

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