Gravity Defying Forks (Funky Physics Experiments)

You will need:

1. A glass
2. 2 forks
3. A toothpick
4. Matchsticks
5. Cork

Amaze your friends with these gravity defying forks! By the way, they aren’t floating and nor it is a magic trick. It’s just physics. But you might have to practise a little before
actually performing for an audience.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take 2 forks and insert them
   on either side of the cork so
   that they may be held in place.
2. Now, take a toothpick and very
   carefully insert it in the midpoint
   of the cork, so that it may be perpendicular to the 2 forks.
3. Here’s the tricky part. Take this contraption and attempt balancing it on the mouth of the glass, with only the toothpick touching the glass sideways.
4. You might need to attempt it for a few times, before you find the centre of the mass of the forks and the toothpick.
5. Once it is balanced, very carefully light a matchstick and burn the toothpick which is inside the glass.
6. Just as the burning starts to come near the mouth of the glass, blow it out very gently.

RESULT

Even though the part of the toothpick which was inside the glass is almost burnt away, the fork still balances in midair. This is because of the centre of the mass of an object. When we balance something, if the pivot point of the object is in line with the centre of gravity (in our case the space between the fork and the glass) or even below it, then no matter what the size or shape of the objects, it will balance.