Mobile PBL

a. We determined the locations to hang each of our items by

accounting for the mass and the location of the object on the
beam. The objects with bigger mass (in our case, the bigger
pictures have a larger mass due to the larger frames) are placed
closer to the center of rotation in order to balance objects with
smaller mass. We accounted for each beam individually in order
to ensure that the whole mobile is balanced.
b. For the mobile to stay balanced, all forces and torque acting on
the mobile must be equal. (Torquenet = 0) When this is true, the
mobile is in a state of equilibrium. Although the mobile moves
when a force/torque is applied, the forces will be counteracted
by other external forces (air resistance, gravity, etc.) and will
keep the mobile balanced.
c. Each beam of the mobile is held up by a string at one point. This
point become the point of rotation when a torque is applied to
spin the object. This same point is the point of rotations for the
two downward torques of each object. Because the two
downward torques are equal (the object balance), the object is
able to spin in a balanced state.