Even if you only have a basic understanding about the concept of balance when it comes to lifting objects, you can tell from the beginning of the video that this is an accident waiting to happen.
Filmed last summer, possibly, but not surely, in Spain, a crew was attempting to lift a Seat Leon Super Copa Telcel racecar onto another level.
Now, some might say they forgot the handbrake or didn’t properly tie up the car, but even if they had done both, the fact that, when they lifted it in the air, the platform was already unbalanced tipping on one side and swerving around, was a recipe for disaster.
Here’s an extract from Hyperphysics that explains the concept of ‘balance’:
“Balance is a concept which implies equilibrium of torques. If you are dealing with a single object, the concept of balance implies that an object is supported in such a way that its weight does not produce any torque about the point of support. Since the weight can be considered to be concentrated at the center of mass for purposes of calculating torque, it follows that in order to have zero torque, the weight must have zero lever arm and that happens only if it is in line with the point of support (directly above or directly below). Common sense tells you to pick up a long board under its center to balance it. What happens if you try to pick it up by one end?”
Well, the hands-on answer to that theoretical question can be viewed in the video below.
Photo Gallery
