Dynamic Torque Concept

Demonstrations in Dynamic Torque

Three-panel sequence: left — articulated figure on low rung of ladder leaning against wooden block with aluminum block on top; center — figure higher on ladder as ladder begins to slide away; right — ladder fallen, figure hanging from aluminum block atop the wooden block

Leaning Ladder

A figure climbs a ladder leaning against a block, demonstrating that mass *distribution* — not total mass — determines stability. The system is stable with the figure at the bottom …
Large wooden spool with black ribbon wrapped around the inner hub, trailing out to the side

Spool with Ribbon

Demonstrates the counter-intuitive nature of torque. Depending on the angle of the ribbon, the spool rolls toward the pull, away from it, or slides without rotating. The critical angle where …
White circular disk with off-center weight resting on weathered wooden inclined plane against dark background

Weighted Disk

Demonstrates how a non-uniform mass distribution affects rolling motion. On a level surface, the disk always rolls back to place its center of mass at the lowest point. On an …