Science Secrets · Drawing 05 of 40
A Bird That Balances
Forces and Movement
This paper bird balances on a finger. The small clips weigh down its wings and lower its centre of gravity. The arrangement of its weight helps it stay balanced.
Did you know?
Moving the clips can change the balance.
Look together
Where are the clips compared with the beak?
An idea to try
With an adult, make a card bird and try different clip positions. Start above a table.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The model is stable when its centre of gravity is below the support point. The pictured wings and clips illustrate this arrangement.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified scene and shapes. Models, imagined comparisons and enlargements do not preserve all real measurements.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- OpenStax: StabilityA centre of gravity below the support point provides stable equilibrium.
Source review: 2026-10-12. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
