Trapeze, Perch Poles, and Other High-Flying Circus Science
FLYING HIGH AT THE CIRCUS Step right up into the big top Then look up to see some of the world's most amazing circus acts An acrobat flies through the air from one trapeze to another Performers leap onto a board and bounce and flip Another performer climbs a tall pole and balances on the top while one person holds the pole steady from below Hear the audience gasp in amazement These high flying acts are some of the most exciting in the circus Performers swing flip and fly through the air wowing audiences There is one important element to these amazing acts that should not be overlooked That element is science With science we can better understand how these acts work
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME The circus is fun to watch but DO NOT try any of these acts yourself Circus performers spend years training They practice every day Performing a circus act without the proper training and correct safety precautions could result in serious injury Instead simple activities that you CAN TRY are included in the pages that follow They will help you understand the science behind the circus They are safe easy and fun
SWINGING TRAPEZE Look up The circus is starting High above the center ring a performer stands on a tiny platform In front of her is a bar between two ropes hanging down from above With one smooth motion she grasps this trapeze and swings from her perch Back and forth she goes until she suddenly releases the bar The audience gasps Immediately a performer on a second trapeze grabs her hands She continues to swing from the arms of her fellow trapeze artist What is the science behind the swinging trapeze As the performer swings on the trapeze her body behaves like a pendulum A pendulum is a weight that swings back and forth from a fixed point An initial force gets a pendulum moving In this case that initial force comes when the trapeze artist jumps off the platform and gravity pulls her down As it pulls her down the rope that's fastened prevents her from falling all the way and allows her to move in an arc back and forth The performer pumps her legs to keep the trapeze moving If the artist doesn't continue to exert this force the air along with where the trapeze is attached to the ceiling will provide the friction that slows her down until she stops pendulum a body hung from a fixed point that swings freely back and forth force an interaction that changes the motion of an object gravity an attractive force that exists between any two objects including between Earth and everything on it friction a force that opposes the relative motion of two or more surfaces in contact
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME TRY THIS INSTEAD A regular playground swing uses the same science as a trapeze It is also a pendulum Hop on one to experience forces at work Think about gravity as the swing moves you back and forth After you push off how many times can you swing each way before you slow down to a stop
