Chapter 9: STABILITY [textbook page : 89-90]

9.2 IMPORTANCE OF STABILITY

LEARNING OUTCOMES
You should be able to:
 Suggestways to improve the stability
of objects around you.
 Explainwith examples the applications
of stability in life.
STABILITY
 Simply means the ability of an object to
maintain its original position.
 Stability is very important in our lives.
 Without stability, there is a danger of toppling
over.
 There is ways to improve the stability of an
object.
The stability of an object can be improved by:
Lowering its centre of Increasing its base
gravity area
• This can be done by decreasing • This can be done by making the
the height of the object or base more wider.
adding a heavy base to the
object.
Applications of stability in life

EXAMPLES:-
a. APPARATUS IN LABORATORY
• MEASURING CYLINDERS, BUNSEN BURNERS, RETORT STANDS HAVE BROAD BASES TO GIVE
THEM STABILITY.
• TRIPOD STANDS HAVE LARGE BASE AREAS.
• RETORD STANDS ARE MADE HEAVY TO LOWER THEIR CENTRES OF GRAVITY.
b. Household items

 These things are designed with heavy bases to make them

stable.
 Tables and chairs usually set far apart to increase their base
area.
CONCLUSION
• WITHOUT STABILITY , OUR LIVES WILL BE IN
DANGER.
• THEREFORE, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS ENABLED US TO
LIVE COMFORTABLY AND SAFELY…..
 QUESTIONS

• WHY DO WE STAND WITH OUR LEGS APART IN A MOVING ?

• FILING CABINETS ARE DESIGNED SO THAT ONLY ONE

DRAWER CAN BE PULLED OUT AT A TIME.WHAT MIGHT
HAPPEN IF ALL THE DRAWERS, LOADED WITH DOCUMENTS,
WERE PULLED OUT AT THE SAME TIME ? GIVE YOUR
REASON.

• WHICH IS MORE STABLE, A FULL MILK BOTTLE OR A

QUARTER-FULL MILK BOTTLE ? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER.
 ANSWERS
Q.1
 TO INCREASE OUR BASE AREA AND THUS PREVENTING US FROM
TOPPLING OVER EASILY.
Q.2
 THE CABINETS WILL TOPPLE, AS THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY IS NO
LONGER ABOVE THEIR BASE WHEN ALL THE DRAWERS WERE
PULLED OUT.
Q.3
A QUARTER-FULL MILK BOTTLE IS MORE STABLE BECAUSE IT HAS
A LOWER CENTRE OF GRAVITY THAN A FULL-FILLED MILK BOTTLE.