Science Secrets · Drawing 04 of 40
The Seesaw Helper
Forces and Movement
A seesaw turns around a support point. The closer someone sits to this point, the less their weight tips the board. That’s why the adult sits near the middle!
Did you know?
A seesaw is a lever.
Look together
Who sits closer to the middle of the seesaw?
An idea to try
With an adult, balance a ruler on a stable support. Compare identical small blocks placed at different distances.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The turning effect depends on force and perpendicular distance from the axis. The illustration explains a lever; it does not measure masses or lengths.
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: The Second Condition for EquilibriumOn a seesaw, the turning effect (torque) grows with the lever arm; the lighter child sits farther from the pivot to balance the heavier child.
Page prepared on October 12, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book Science Secrets to Colour
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