Anthony Albanese will deliver a landmark speech on AI this week as MPs are torn between attracting datacentre investment and protecting the rights of creatives
When Anna Funder stood before a pack of journalists at Parliament House this month, she presented herself not just as a writer but also a “victim of crime”.
The Stasiland author was using the analogy to illustrate how technology companies have flagrantly “hoovered up” her literary works for their own profit.
Mass distributionaffects everything from galaxy shapes to aircraft design to planetary rotation. It’s used to map stars in our universe, figure out what planets are made of, and even to determine how luggage is loaded onto an airplane.
Mass distribution can be a tricky thing to understand. So, let’s explore it using an everyday example: a soccer ball.
How Does Mass Distribution Affect Center of Mass?
Have you ever kicked a soccer ball and wondered why it curves, spins, or sometimes wobbles? Mass distribution plays a part.
On the outside, soccer balls look simple – a series of geometric shapes woven together in a pattern. But on the inside, they are carefully engineered. The key to a great soccer ball is something you can’t see: how the mass is distributed inside the ball.
When engineers build a soccer ball, they try to make sure its mass is evenly balanced in all areas. This is because the way a ball spins and flies depends on how its mass is arranged. If one part of the ball is slightly heavier, its center of mass shifts. If the ball’s center of mass isn’t precisely balanced, the ball won’t move smoothly.
Scientists and engineers use tools like precision scales, computer models, and repeated testing to determine an object’s mass distribution. These efforts help them design balanced airplanes, rockets, and even soccer balls. Their goal is to achieve dynamic balance, meaning the object can travel smoothly without unexpected movements.
How Does Gravity Affect How We Study Mass Distribution?
On Earth, gravity hides some of the details about how objects move. In microgravity, astronauts can observe motion more clearly. In 2019, Adidas partnered with NASA and sent soccer balls to the International Space Station.
Astronauts conducted tests to help engineers confirm their designs and understand the physics behind ball motion in ways they simply can’t on Earth. The results of the space station experiments have already helped improve the accuracy and consistency of modern soccer balls.
Try It Yourself
You don’t need to go to space to explore the physics of a ball in motion. Try this experiment at home or school:
Grab different types of sports balls (soccer ball, basketball, tennis ball)
Spin each one on the ground or between your hands
Watch for wobbling, flipping, or smooth spinning
Can you tell which balls are well balanced? Or which ones might have uneven mass distribution?
Career Corner
Are you interested in a career that explores the science and engineering of mass distribution? Many different occupations can help you strike the perfect balance. Here are a few examples:
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Technician/Drafter: These specialists convert sketches and engineering designs into technical drawings. They use powerful computer software to create detailed 3D and 2D drawings of objects. A two-year associate degree from a technical or community college is key to this career path.
Computational fluid dynamics engineer: These engineers use computer simulation tools to model and analyze fluid behavior in real-world situations. They might study airflow around sport ball designs or explore ways to improve aircraft wings. They need a strong background in engineering and the ability to analyze complex problems.
Physicist: These scientists study matter and energy. They develop models and theories to explain how things work, conduct experiments, and use math to better understand the universe. A career in physics demands a strong understanding of math and complex problem-solving and usually requires an advanced college degree.
Mass distributionaffects everything from galaxy shapes to aircraft design to planetary rotation. It’s used to map stars in our universe, figure out what planets are made of, and even to determine how luggage is loaded onto an airplane.
Mass distribution can be a tricky thing to understand. So, let’s explore it using an everyday example: a soccer ball.
How Does Mass Distribution Affect Center of Mass?
Have you ever kicked a soccer ball and wondered why it curves, spins, or sometimes wobbles? Mass distribution plays a part.
On the outside, soccer balls look simple – a series of geometric shapes woven together in a pattern. But on the inside, they are carefully engineered. The key to a great soccer ball is something you can’t see: how the mass is distributed inside the ball.
When engineers build a soccer ball, they try to make sure its mass is evenly balanced in all areas. This is because the way a ball spins and flies depends on how its mass is arranged. If one part of the ball is slightly heavier, its center of mass shifts. If the ball’s center of mass isn’t precisely balanced, the ball won’t move smoothly.
Scientists and engineers use tools like precision scales, computer models, and repeated testing to determine an object’s mass distribution. These efforts help them design balanced airplanes, rockets, and even soccer balls. Their goal is to achieve dynamic balance, meaning the object can travel smoothly without unexpected movements.
How Does Gravity Affect How We Study Mass Distribution?
On Earth, gravity hides some of the details about how objects move. In microgravity, astronauts can observe motion more clearly. In 2019, Adidas partnered with NASA and sent soccer balls to the International Space Station.
Astronauts conducted tests to help engineers confirm their designs and understand the physics behind ball motion in ways they simply can’t on Earth. The results of the space station experiments have already helped improve the accuracy and consistency of modern soccer balls.
Try It Yourself
You don’t need to go to space to explore the physics of a ball in motion. Try this experiment at home or school:
Grab different types of sports balls (soccer ball, basketball, tennis ball)
Spin each one on the ground or between your hands
Watch for wobbling, flipping, or smooth spinning
Can you tell which balls are well balanced? Or which ones might have uneven mass distribution?
Career Corner
Are you interested in a career that explores the science and engineering of mass distribution? Many different occupations can help you strike the perfect balance. Here are a few examples:
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Technician/Drafter: These specialists convert sketches and engineering designs into technical drawings. They use powerful computer software to create detailed 3D and 2D drawings of objects. A two-year associate degree from a technical or community college is key to this career path.
Computational fluid dynamics engineer: These engineers use computer simulation tools to model and analyze fluid behavior in real-world situations. They might study airflow around sport ball designs or explore ways to improve aircraft wings. They need a strong background in engineering and the ability to analyze complex problems.
Physicist: These scientists study matter and energy. They develop models and theories to explain how things work, conduct experiments, and use math to better understand the universe. A career in physics demands a strong understanding of math and complex problem-solving and usually requires an advanced college degree.
Have you ever kicked a soccer ball and wondered why it curves, spins, or sometimes wobbles? NASA astronaut Jessica Meir aboard the International Space Statio...
The types of Ebola and hantavirus worrying officials are very different from the species identified decades ago, raising new questions about how to respond.
The independent senator David Pocock says leaked BHP documents show that the mining giant is “laughing” at Australia’s key climate policy while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a generous diesel tax break.
Pilots’ voices from the last seconds of a fatal cargo plane crash have been re-created by Internet sleuths using software and AI tools. The spread of reconstructed audio recordings has prompted a US government agency to suspend all public access to its database of civil transportation accidents—because federal law prohibits investigators from publicly releasing audio from cockpit voice recorders.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) usually shares factual reports and evidence gathered from investigations of aircraft crashes and other civil transportation incidents. But on May 21, the NTSB announced that the online docket system containing such information was “temporarily unavailable” as it reviewed the publicly available materials that had enabled people to re-create cockpit audio recordings from aircraft disasters.
“The NTSB is aware that advances in image recognition and computational methods have enabled individuals to reconstruct approximations of cockpit voice recorder audio from sound spectrum imagery released as part of NTSB investigations, including the ongoing investigation of the crash last year of UPS flight 2976 in Louisville, Kentucky,” according to an NTSB statement. “The NTSB does not release cockpit audio recordings.”
Login
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/capitolnight-570f6d9a5f9b58140898ce09.jpg "Mark Wilson / Getty Images")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/106404735-56a9aae93df78cf772a95b5c.jpg "Pool / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images")
