I Don’t Always Fight, But When I Do I Brush Out My Tail.

The squirrels above are strenuously arguing about something. I have no idea what it is, as I am not a squirrel psychologist, however their fight illuminates some interesting squirrel physics: what squirrels use their tail for. Squirrels have very large tails and the tail serves a number of purposes. The tail provides shelter, helps control gliding from branch to branch, and, most importantly, helps the squirrel keep its balance. To understand how the tail keeps the squirrels in balance we need to learn a bit about the center of mass and how gravity acts on an object.

Go grab a nice heavy book and stand up. Spread your legs so there is about 30 cm between your feet, put the book in your left hand, and lift your left leg. You’ll fall over. Falling over is a rotation, and you start to rotate because there is a net torque on your body. The torque is caused by two forces. First, there is the force of the floor on your right leg, pushing upwards on you. Second, there is the force of gravity pulling down on you. Now, gravity acts on an object as if all the mass of the object was concentrated at the center of mass. The center of mass is just the point in space that represents the average position of all the mass in a body. Take your book, hold it horizontally, and you will find that it balances on your finger if you place your finger right in the middle of the book. It balances because the center of mass of the book is right above your finger. Gravity pulls down on the book as if all the mass was at the center of mass, your finger pushes up, and these two forces cancel out, leaving the book at rest.

In contrast, when you lifted up your left leg, your center of mass was not directly above your right foot, but offset a bit horizontally. Therefore the force of gravity and the force of the floor on your foot cannot cancel out. Instead they generate a torque and cause you to rotate. Now, what do tails have to do with this? Well, try standing up again but this time hold your book in your right hand and move your hand away from your body. You will find that it is easier to balance in this case. The heavy book, held far enough away from your body, shifts your center of mass to be above your right foot, allowing gravity and the force of the floor to cancel each other out. A squirrel’s tail performs the same function as the book. By moving the tail around the squirrel can shift the position of its center of mass and remain balanced on one foot. Remaining balanced is important for a squirrel as they dash through trees and, apparently, engage in squirrel boxing.

For additional problems on center of gravity, you can try Chopping down a tree and Tipping point .

tails move opposite to direction of leaning of body that's apparently to keep balance

How do you insert a sentence in the multiple choice?

if u see the options and the topic which is tested in the question u will easily find out that it is to balance themselves.

Like a tightrope walker holding onto a long pole for balance, the squirrel uses its tail to keep itself steady as it leaps across treetops or does a high-wire act on telephone lines. A squirrel's tale is also told through its tail. That's because this animal acrobat uses this appendage to communicate with other squirrels. You'll often see its unique body language at work in the woods or right in your backyard. When a squirrel is alarmed, it flicks its tail; when it's feeling aggressive, it fluffs it up. During its breeding season, a squirrel will wave and shiver its tail while approaching the opposite sex. .

:p

they always use that to keep their balance

use their tails for balancing...

for the purpose of balancing

as in fig. tails are not using in fighting those are in opposite as the squirrels are fighting so these are used in keeping balance.

the ans is to balance themselves because the tail was moving in the opposite direction of squirrel while fighting

many animals also use this technique////...... like monkeys etc......

balance own body prevent down word

The picture is demonstrating that the squirrel on the right is balancing itself agianst the strike by the squirrel on the left by using his tail

As it is in the back side of the body so they use it for balance........

squirrels use their tails to keep their balance.