A person with a weight of 500N sits on one end of a seesaw that is 2m long. To balance the seesaw, another person sits at the other end which is 4m long. Using the torque equation that torque from one side equals torque from the other (weight x length), the weight of the second person is calculated to be 250N so that the seesaw will balance. The second person is happy to know their weight so they will not die from being unbalanced on the seesaw.

1. BALANCE WITH TORQUE

2. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE PROBLEM...

3. PERSON 1
PERSON 2

4. PERSON 1 - WEIGHT = 500N
SEESAW
LENGTH= 2M
PERSON 2- WEIGHT = ?????????????
SEESAW
LENGTH= 4M

5. WT1 x L1 = WT2 x L2
( 500N ) x ( 2m ) = Y x ( 4m )
1000 = 4Y
1000/4 = Y
250N = Y

6. YAY! I KNOW
I WEIGHT
250N! NOW I
WON'T DIE!