How to Use Physics to Lift This Off-Balance Barbell
5 min readDec 16, 2023
It’s a fun physics trick, maybe you’ve seen this on TikTok or Instagram. The idea is to present a person with a barbell. On one side there’s a bunch of weight and the other side has very little mass (maybe 1 small plate). When someone tries to lift it, they can’t. The barbell just tips over. It’s awkward and fun — which makes it perfect for an online video.
