How to Balance a Coin on a Lemon

The game is simple: put a lemon in a jar of water and try to balance a quarter on top of it. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? If you’ve seen this viral challenge online, you’ll know it’s a lot harder than it appears. Even though balancing a coin on a floating lemon is tricky, there are a few tricks that can help you win. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know, including the science behind why it’s so hard to do.

How do you balance a coin on a lemon?

For the best chance at balancing the quarter, slowly set it onto the lemon near the tip so the lemon is less likely to move around. The viral challenge is extremely difficult because the coin changes the lemon’s center of gravity, but it’s not impossible if you take your time and try multiple times.

Section 1 of 6:

What is the “balance a quarter on a lemon” challenge?

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Try to balance a quarter on a floating lemon without it falling off. Fill a bowl or large container with water and drop a lemon inside. While the lemon is floating on the surface, carefully try to set a quarter or a similarly sized coin on it so it stays balanced. Many people who try the challenge have trouble completing it because the lemon rolls in the water and the coin falls off.^{[1]
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- Some challenges require that the coin stay balanced for 1 minute after placing it.
- Most times, you are not allowed to touch or hold the lemon still before placing the quarter.

Section 2 of 6:

The Trick to Balancing the Coin

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1
Go slowly so you don’t disturb the water. Keep your hands steady when you’re setting the coin on top of the lemon. Gently place it onto the peel so there are no ripples in the water and so the lemon doesn’t move on its own. If you’re lucky, the lemon may stay balanced.^{[2]
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- Keep your fingers near the coin after you place it. If you notice the lemon starting to move right away, quickly pick it up and wait for the lemon to stop moving again.
Look for one of the ends of the lemon that’s close to sticking out of the water. Try to set the coin closer to that end because it’s less likely to make the lemon roll and cause the coin to fall off.
3
Use a smaller coin. Some users claim that quarters are too heavy of a coin and they’ll always fall off a lemon floating in water. Try the challenge with a penny, nickel, or dime to see if you’re able to balance it.
- Some challenges will limit the type of coin you can use, so even if you balance a smaller coin, you might not be considered a winner.
4
Push a larger coin into the bottom of the lemon to cheat. Take the lemon out of the water and push a larger coin into the peel. Place the lemon back into the water and wait for it to stay still. The larger coin will act as a counterweight so the lemon doesn’t roll around when you try setting a coin on top of it.
- This solution is usually considered cheating because most places don’t allow you to touch or pick up the lemon.

Section 3 of 6:

Is it actually possible to balance a quarter on a floating lemon?

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There’s a chance you can balance a coin, but it’s extremely challenging. Many people think balancing a coin on a lemon is impossible, but a few users on YouTube and TikTok have been able to do it successfully. However, other users say they’ve tried completing the challenge for a few hours without doing it successfully.
- It’s also hard to verify if anyone online has done the challenge without cheating or rigging the lemon in some way, so even the successful attempts might be faked.

Section 4 of 6:

Why is it so hard to balance a coin on a lemon?

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The weight of the coin changes the lemon’s center of gravity. A lemon is a little less dense than water, so it floats at the surface.^{[3]
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Research source} The lemon stays buoyant because the center of gravity is just under the surface. Placing a coin on top of a floating lemon changes its center of gravity to above the surface, causing the coin to fall right off.
- Lemons aren’t perfectly round either, so their irregular shapes make it harder to find a spot to perfectly balance a quarter.

Section 5 of 6:

How did balancing a coin on a lemon become popular?

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Balancing a coin on a floating lemon is difficult, so many users have challenged their friends or partners to see who can do it first. People share their attempts online even if no one was able to successfully balance the coin.
Instead of a normal tip jar, many places have set up a container with water and a lemon instead. A lot of times, they offer a free drink or item off the menu if you’re able to balance the coin, but the restaurant or bar keeps the coin as a tip if it falls into the water.^{[4]
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Section 6 of 6:

Should you attempt the challenge?

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Save your money if the challenge is at a bar or restaurant. Even though it may be enticing to win a free drink or a prize by balancing a quarter on a lemon, the odds are really slim that you’ll be able to do it successfully on your first try. If you have extra pocket change, it’s okay to do it once or twice as a fun way to leave a tip, but don’t spend too much trying to win.
- Even if you practice at home, remember that no two lemons are exactly the same, so they may behave differently when you put a coin on them.

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Tips

Be careful not to spend too much money attempting the challenge multiple times. If you’re not having any luck after a couple of tries, then it’s best to cut your losses and call it quits.

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