Gizmos Student Exploration: Triple Beam Balance

Name: Lee Arthur Date:


Student Exploration: Triple Beam Balance


Vocabulary: fulcrum, lever, mass, rider, triple beam balance




Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. A lever is a long beam that is set on a pointed fulcrum. A heavy rock is placed on a lever,
as shown. Draw an arrow where you should push down to lift the rock most easily.
The rock should go
here l
l
V




2. Suppose you wanted to balance the rock with a smaller rock. Where would you put the
smaller rock? Draw a smaller rock on the diagram above so that it balances the big rock.
You would put the smaller rock at the end like number 1


Gizmo Warm-up
A triple beam balance is a type of lever that is used to measure mass, or the amount of matterin
an object. An object with an unknown mass is placed on the measurement tray. On the other side
of a fulcrum, a set of sliding weights, called riders, slide on beams to balance the object.