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Balancing Act
 Are larger objects always heavier? Build this balance scale and then experiment to find out.
What You Need
• 8 paper clips
• 2 paper or plastic cups
• 1 clothes hanger
• Sticky tape
• Variety of items to weigh (e.g., coins, pasta, buttons, small toys)
What to Do
1. Link four paper clips together in a chain.
2. Hook the end of the chain through the top edge of a paper cup.
3. Hook the other end of the chain to one end of the hanger. Secure it with a piece of tape.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3, attaching this chain to the other end of the hanger.
5. Experiment with your balance scale to see if large objects are always heavier than smaller objects.
How it Works
Large objects are not always heavier than smaller objects. Two peanuts may be larger than two quarters, but the coins are heavier. The mass of the metal in a coin is much heavier than the mass of a peanut, which contains a lot of air.
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