1K10.10 Tipping Block

A large wooden block is placed on a rubber surface so that it will not slide. A force is applied with a spring balance, first parallel to the horizontal along the top edge of the block, and then perpendicular to a diagonal drawn to the tipping axis. The required force to tip the block is less when the force is applied at an angle than when it is applied horizontally.

A piece of wood shaped a bit like a doll's chair is shown. The right and left sides are solid pieces of wood. The piece of wood that mimics the chair seat is set a bit higher than the midpoint of the right and left sides. This chair-like wooden block rests on a thin rubber sheet which is itself sitting on a table. A green arrow drawn from the lower right-hand corner of the 'chair' to the upper left-hand corner is marked "tipping axis". A bright magenta string is fastened to the top left-hand side of the chair as seen in the photograph. A spring scale is hooked to the other end of the string. The spring scale is held horizontally, so that the string rakes over the top of the right-hand 'chair arm'. The spring scale reads a little over 15 N.

The same chair is shown, sitting on the same rubber sheet. A bright magenta string is fastened to the top left-hand corner of the 'chair'. A spring scale is hooked to the other end of the string. The scale is pulled at an upward angle such that the magenta string makes a 90 degree angle with respect to the green line marked "tipping point". The scale reads about 12.8 N.

Location: Spring scale HI-1, Block on the floor at the end of aisle E, Rubber mat DE-8, String beginning of aisle D, Clamp “trivial”