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The Power of Balance

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Summary

Areas of Science
Energy & Power
Difficulty
Method
Scientific Method
Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
Credits
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*Note: For this science project, you will need to develop your own experimental procedure. Use the information on this page as a starting place. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions.

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Abstract

The Falkirk Wheel is a large rotating boat lift that can spin quickly due to precise weight balancing of its two sides
The Falkirk Wheel is a rotating boat lift connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal near Falkirk in central Scotland. It consists of two diametrically opposed caissons which rotate to lift boats between the two canals through a height of 35 meters. The wheel is always perfectly balanced and, despite its enormous mass, rotates through 180° in less than four minutes, using just 1.5 kilowatt-hours (Wikipedia contributors, 2006). Do background research to find out how much energy would be required if a system of locks were used to raise the boats instead of the Falkirk Wheel. How much energy is saved? For a more advanced project, include a comparision of construction costs for a system of locks vs. the Falkirk Wheel.

Bibliography

Wikipedia contributors, 2006. "Falkirk Wheel," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia [accessed June 20, 2006] http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Falkirk_Wheel&oldid=59868527.
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Global Goals

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

This project explores topics key to Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy.
This project explores topics key to Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

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General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.

MLA Style

Science Buddies Staff. "The Power of Balance." Science Buddies, 20 Nov. 2020, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Energy_p006/energy-power/the-power-of-balance. Accessed 9 June 2026.

APA Style

Science Buddies Staff. (2020, November 20). The Power of Balance. Retrieved from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Energy_p006/energy-power/the-power-of-balance


Last edit date: 2020-11-20

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