Final answer:
The cone on the ground when studying the effects of torque and center of gravity on a traffic cone's equilibrium in a high school physics experiment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student places the cone on the ground during an experiment to understand equilibrium and center of gravity.
In the scenario where a traffic cone is placed on its tip and then displaced to the side, it will not maintain equilibrium. Instead, the cone's center of gravity shifts away from the base, creating a torque which accelerates the cone to the ground. This is different from when a cone placed on its base is displaced, as its center of gravity will remain over the base and the cone will tend to return to its original position.