Question

Emma and Noah are playing on a seesaw. Noah, mass 20 kg, is seated 1.6 m away from the pivot point. Emma, mass 25 k g, wants to sit at a point that will make the seesaw exactly balance on its pivot. How far away from the pivot must she sit? Assume that the mass of the seesaw itself is small enough to ignore?

Answer 1

the point at which Emma is required to sit at in order to make the seesaw exactly balanced on its pivot = 1.28 m

Step-by-step explanation:

From the question; the criteria and condition to balance the system on the pivot in order to be at equilibrium is if :

m₁r₁ =m₂r₂

Given that :

Let the mass of Noah be m₁ = 20 kg

Let the mass of Emma be m₂ = 26 kg

The distance x₁ of Noah be r₁ = 1.6 m away from the pivot point.

The distance x₂ of Emma be r₂ = ???

Making r₂ the subject of the formula from the above equation; we have:

r₂ =
`(m_1*r_1)/(m_2)`

r₂ =
`(20*1.6)/(25)`

r₂ = 1.28 m

Thus, the point at which Emma is required to sit at in order to make the seesaw exactly balanced on its pivot = 1.28 m