Clay Bridges

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What's Going On

In building bridges, students can observe the effects of the weight of structure itself, as well as the effects of other forces acting on the structure. As the structure is lengthened, anchoring the ends (without using anything other than plasticene) can become a problem; students can observe tension and compression where the clay meets the edges of the tables.


Extensions

  • Try building bridges with more or less clay. How does this change the structures' strength? Does this affect how long you can make a bridge?

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