Brain Teasers
Balance the Bat
Science
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.Science
Is balancing a baseball bat vertically on your hand easier with the larger end at the top or with the smaller end at the top?
Hint
Think about torque.Answer
It is easier to balance a baseball bat with the larger end at the top.This is because it gives the bat a larger moment of inertia. So, with your hand as the pivot, the bat rotates slower, making it easier to correct when it starts to topple over.
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Comments
I guessed right but it was for the wrong reasons Good teaser!
Cool, I've done the bat-balance thing and got the answer right but didn't know why! Thanks for the explanation!
Another explaination is the center of gravity is lower, thus making it easier to balance. That is the same concept with a tight rope walker, and the long heavy bars.
drussel u really are an engineer lol... i really liked the riddle i got it because i play baseball and when im bored its fun to balace a bat on ur hand
I got it right
Drussel3 you've got it wrong, the center of gravity is higher, that's why the moment of inertia is greater. Remember the big end is at the top, thus the center of gravity is near the top.
I guessed the right answer but i had no idea why this is a nice piece of trivia for me.
curtis ur right. now i have done this but i get the top as being easier. maybe its because i can keep the bat steady easily and in that case having a bottom heavy bat is easier.
yeah , thats right
Curtis is of course correct. Nice teaser and very nice explanation. I knew the answer based on real world experiance but could not have explaned it so well.
HA!! I knew it and I'm 12!
I love the debates this catagory brings up!
WOW I WAS THINKING THAT UNTIL THE STUPID HINT
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