Bridge Building (How I spend a day)

[jdbulldog]

We have some really awesome students. I teach PreAP and Physics 1 at senior high school and this week is our annual bridge breaking contest. Students have to build a bridge out of newspaper with only glue or masking tape. Nothing else may be used. The bridge can weigh no more than 500 grams (1.1 lbs), it must be span a distance of 50 cm and can be no more than 30 cm tall. Students must hold a minimum of 5 kg (11 lbs) to get a good grade (80). From then on students are in direct competition with each other. We have over 440 students taking physics 1 and another 225 in PreAP. This bridge shown in the picture held an amazing 527 lbs!!!

Check it out.

JD

[sparker1]

That is an amazing bridge. Congrats to all involved.

[Tom W]

Excellent lesson in structural integrity. Simple design, but incredibly strong. Remove any piece of any triangle and the bridge comes crashing down.

That newspaper is holding more weight than I've ever supported on my own on a good day. :)

BTW, has the gym instructor and/or coach approached you about the missing iron yet? :)

[RJSorensen]

Very nice . . . we have competed in such and found it a good memory for all involved. Thank you.

[DrGrounds]

When I took AP physics in High School we had to build a bridge out of toothpicks, mine only held 117 lbs :-(

[Onwuma]

Simple yet effective. I made a bridge similar to that design out of balsa wood that held up pretty well.

[Ballen Photo]

WOW! That's an AMAZING feat for a paper Bridge! :shock: Thanks for sharing this. :D
-Bruce

[pradeep1]

Impressive. I am an engineer by training and I am impressed by that paper bridge.