Science Secrets · Drawing 05 of 40
A Bird That Balances
Forces and Movement
This paper bird balances on a finger! The clips make its wing tips heavier. This moves its balance point, called the centre of gravity, below the finger, so the bird stays steady.
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 (2)
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: StabilityStable equilibrium: after a small displacement, a restoring torque brings the object back; a chicken’s centre of gravity lies below its hip joints.
- UCSC Physics Demonstration Room: Center of MassWhen the pivot point is directly above the centre of gravity, the object is in stable equilibrium.
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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