Balance (ability)

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/balance-ability

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the contributing sensory systems?Visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems provide critical input for balance control
2. What is balance and why is it important for standing and walking?Balance is the ability to keep your body’s gravity line inside the area where your feet touch the ground. It lets you stand tall, walk, run, and play sports without falling.
3. How does my body know when to move to stay balanced?Your eyes, inner ear, and the feel in your muscles and skin send signals to the brain. The brain quickly tells your muscles to adjust so you stay steady.

Center of Mass: The average location of the mass of an object.
Line of Gravity: An imaginary vertical line passing through the center of mass.
Vestibular System: The sensory system in the inner ear that detects head motion and orientation.