Coin Stack by Zixuan Zhang
1st Place - Contrived Category
« 2012 Winners & Categories | Next »
« 2012 Winners & Categories | Next »
School: Helias Catholic High School
Teacher: Matt Zeitz
In this picture, there is a coin stack that is almost off of the table. This stack was built by stacking coins on top of each other so that the force of each coin was evenly distributed between the bottom two coins. We can also explain this using the property of a lever, in which the center of the coin is the fulcrum. The coin on the top of the other coin applies a positive torque; at the same time gravity applies a negative torque, which prevents it from falling apart. Therefore, we can see the coin stack as a whole. As long as the center of mass is on the table, it will remain static equilibrium.
