How does a tightrope walker balance

You are on a rooftop, looking across empty air 1, feet above the ground. Your foot dangles over the ledge and touches a steel cable just centimeters wide.

As you shift your body forward, hands gripped tight around a balancing pole, you find yourself suspended over a gut-wrenching void. Acrophobics would surely hope to wake from this nightmare in a cold sweat. But for seasoned tightrope walkers, the dizzying feat can be accomplished if you understand the physics of the human body. Just as it's harder to topple a stout vase than a tall slim one, a human is less likely to fall if the bulk of their mass is closer to the ground—or, in this case, the wire.

Amateurs often try to accomplish this shift by leaning forward. That may lower your overall mass, but it also interferes with your sense of location in space. Then, it's hello pavement. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search.

Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Users' questions How do tightrope walkers keep their balance? Users' questions. Esther Fleming April 11, Table of Contents. Next Article What is the strict Islamic regime governing Afghanistan called? Back To Top. In this activity, you'll construct a tightrope setup, learn the basics of tightrope walking, and understand a little more about the physics behind balancing! Get an adult to help you build the setup, as well as to double-check cushioning and spot you as you learn.

Here's a simple model to help you understand how center of balance and counterbalances work: Take a piece of string about 30 cm 1' in length and form it into a circle. Take a ruler and a hammer and assemble them together as shown. Balance the end of the ruler against the edge of a table with the hammer hanging below.

Where is the center of balance? Why does this look like it shouldn't work? Hold a large book in your hands. Have a friend gently try to disturb your balance.

Now hold the book in different locations. Which location makes it easiest for you to keep your balance? Stand on a pillow in a safe, open, soft area. Can you balance on one foot? Now put on a blindfold. How does that affect your sense of balance?