Weights can be placed onto a balance table which pivots at its centre. There are also three differently weighted beams to try and balance by moving their centres of gravity.
Try to balance a variety of shapes on a pivot, some with weights attached, to find their centres of gravity. Also some models with high and low centres of gravity to be tested.
Lift a ‘drawbridge’ by pulling on strings through a ‘castle wall’. The difficulty relates to the angle of pull. Also turn a wheel by moving a connecting rod back and forth on a slider.
A pendulum magnet swung above other magnets in blocks responds erratically to the attracting and repelling forces.
Two different pairs of large ring magnets are mounted on rods facing one another. Various materials can be placed between them. There is also a cluster of large magnets around which a number of small magnets and other materials can be turned.
A range of different sized stampers can be pressed into a foam rubber surface. The effort required to push down to the same degree shows the importance of the size of area over which force is applied.
Three identical springs can be stretched by pulling three cords. Each is attached to a different pulley arrangement, which determines the distance you have to pull them and the effort required.
Make a pointer move in specific directions by pulling on a combination of three strings. Another pointer is moved by pulling on a number of different strings attached.
Polarised light is used to show the internal stresses of shapes as they are twisted, also to observe the significance of sharp and rounded corners in concentrating the stress lines.
A model car runs down a ramp, and by applying different combinations of front and rear brakes, different stopping distances on two different surfaces can be investigated.
Small weights can be fixed onto a number of tops which differ in diameter and thickness, to observe the effect that has on them spinning.
A number of wooden blocks are used to create an arch bridge between two fixed supports. Another structure is used to show the importance of triangulation in giving rigidity to structures.