Study which factors affect a person’s sense of balance
Suitable For
Grade 4
Difficulty
2
Time Required
<24 Hours
Supervision
Advised
What’s it about?
Human beings can vary quite significantly from each other. Our size, shape, eye colour, hair colour and even our sense of balance is different from one another. In the following science experiment, study the sense of balance of some of your friends and which factors influence this:
Topics covered
Balance, Proprioception
What will I need?
- PENCIL
- WHITE PAPER
- STOP WATCH
- CARDBOARD
- FRIENDS
Procedure (Method)
Human beings can vary quite significantly from each other. Our size, shape, eye colour, hair colour and even our sense of balance is different from one another. In the following science experiment, study the sense of balance of some of your friends and which factors influence this:
- On a blank piece of paper, use a pencil to make a chart with five columns and about three or four rows.
- Label the columns as follows from left to right: ‘Name’, ‘Eyes open – left foot’, ‘Eyes open – right foot’, ‘Eyes closed – left foot’, ‘Eyes closed – right foot’.
- Place a small piece of cardboard in the middle of the lawn of your garden as a marker for the participants to stand on.
- Ask your friends to stand on the marker one by one and balance of one foot; first the left foot and then the right foot.
- Use a stopwatch to time how long each of your friends can keep their balance, and record the times on your chart drawn in ‘step 1’.
- Ask your friends to repeat the balancing on each foot, but this time with their eyes closed.
- Notice how your friends’ sense of balance deteriorates with their eyes closed!
How does it work?
The human balance system is made up of three sensory systems: Vision, Proprioception (gravity and stretch sensors found in muscles and joints), and the vestibular system (organs in the inner ear which detect position changes). Complications in any one of these sensory systems, or with the brain’s integration of the inputs from the three, can cause a person to feel dizzy, disoriented or unsteady. In this science experiment, the participants find it harder to balance with their eyes closed because one of the sensory systems, vision, required for optimal balance has been removed. Focusing on a stationary object allows a consistent point of reference with regards to direction and distance, which your body needs to help keep in balance.
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