The Science of Fun!
Bello Nock raced up a thin wire on a motorcycle. He drove the motorcycle high over thousands of spectators' heads. He's a clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus.
To the spectators below, Bello's stunt looked dangerous - and it was. But Bello knew a secret. He was using science to help keep himself safe.
Circus Science
Bello began performing circus stunts when he was nine years old. He walked on a thin wire that was stretched nine feet off the ground.
To stay on a wire without falling, Bello needs to keep his center of gravity low. An object’s center of gravity is the spot where it balances. If the object is even all around, this spot is usually near the middle. That is where most of the object's weight is centered. When standing, a person’s center of gravity is usually in their torso or hips.
By crouching and keeping low, Bello keeps his center of gravity low. The lower his center of gravity, the easier it is for him to stay balanced and not fall.
Bello often carries a heavy metal stick when he performs. The stick bends downward, lowering his center of gravity.
Moving On
Bello also uses Newton's first law of motion when he performs. That law is named for Isaac Newton. He was a scientist who lived about 300 years ago.
Newton's first law of motion says that a moving object will keep moving unless an outside force acts on it. (The law also says that an object at rest will stay that way unless an outside force acts on it.) Bello uses that law, and especially the idea of applying outside force, when he rides his tiny bike.
As Bello speeds along on his tiny bike, he pushes the bike forward with pedals. The force he applies to the pedals helps turn the bike tires and move the bike. This force is greater than the outside forces that are working to stop the bike, so the bike keeps moving. One of those outside forces is the friction between the bike tires and the floor. Friction is a force that slows down or stops objects when two surfaces rub against each other.
Bello sometimes has to stop quickly before slamming into a wall. To stop quickly, Bello uses the bike's brakes. The brakes create so much friction that the tires stop moving and the bike comes to a stop. If Bello did not use the brakes but stopped pedalling, the bike would keep moving forward for a little, like Newton’s first law of motion describes. But the bike would eventually come to a stop partly because of friction between the tires and the ground.
Friction also changes the bike's motion into heat energy. You could say that Bello's act is really hot!
To see how friction works, rub your hands together as fast as you can. When you rub your hands together, they should start to feel warm. Friction between your hands changes into heat energy.
Bello always puts on a high-energy show. "I always want to capture the attention of children," he said. He captures their attention with science.