strongest shape in engineering

Possible answers: Add an inner triangle to the cube to prevent deformation through its center; add members to the center of the triangular prism to support its middle area.)

Michael Busnick, who owns American Resourcefulness, which sells dome homes, states triangles are answer to making domes strong. Demonstrate problem-solving techniques such as brainstorming and the.

3M & Discovery: Science of Everyday Life ), (The subsequent text aligns with the Strength of Shapes Presentation, a PowerPoint presentation.

WebStrongest Shapes Experimenting with shapes such as triangles and arches, teams consider which can best support a load without collapsing.

A short article that looks at the strength of triangles in two dimensions, and the Platonic solids in three dimensions.

Web- Predicting shape strengths. It connects New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Its buckling loadis 61. What is the best geometric shape? Includes demonstration of building different structures using toothpick shapes and discusses why some structures are better than others. After five minutes, have each student readtheir list to the class while you compile a master list of their responses on the board. You can not distort its shape except by totally crushing it.

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. Discussion Questions: Solicit, integrate and summarize student responses. Possible student answers: The triangle is the strongest shape because it has a strong base, I see triangles in a lot of structures so they must be strong, and it distributes weight better than other polygons.) Weigh each book (if they are different sizes) so that students can calculate how much weight their structures support. Get the inside scoop on all things TeachEngineering such as new site features, curriculum updates, video releases, and more by signing up for our newsletter! This uses diagonal beams that form equilateral triangles. - Building a strong shape activity and testing. Some of the worlds most famous architectural marvels like the Eiffel Tower, Great Pyramids of Giza, and the Louvre Pyramid use the support of

For example to enable workers to lay brick, install trim or paint. Imagine a square.

Do you think any part of these shapes would collapse with this weight/force/load on them?

Take a look at a few more truss designs.

For older students, reduce the time to build and have them make a longer, more in-depth presentation. (Encourage the students to think about triangles and pillars/columns.).

4), Students will develop an understanding of the attributes of design. ScienceBriefss a new way to stay up to date with the latest science news!

Hydraulic Press Test!

Background information about trusses is provided in the Introduction to Trusses Presentation. lsk18271 May 3, 2022 at 16:40 Add a comment 0 Classical beam theory allows for section properties that vary along the length. ), Engineers learn about how to analyze shapes in structures and apply that knowledge to many of the buildings and products that we use every day.

We cannot say that, but we can do the math to prove the efficiency of hexagon shape.

Do you remember this from geometry? (Be ready to show the class slides 1-14 of the Introduction to Trusses Presentation, a PowerPoint file, as you present the content provided below.

After five minutes, go around the class and have all students contribute examples from their lists while you compile a master list on the classroom board. A king post truss has a horizontal beam called the tie beam and a vertical beam called the king post (hence its name).

cross-brace: A diagonal structural member that breaks higher-order polygons down into simple triangles. *The NGSS logo is a registered trademark of WestEd. (Let students work through the rest of the worksheet questions. They distribute all the weight on top of the point through the sides and out over the base.

From bridges to houses, and even airplanes -- using triangles in structures will always be important! (Slide 7) The reason that the square and diamond collapse is because the angle between the structural members can change without having the length of the members change or bend.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, is a well-known truss structure.copyrightCopyright 2016 Anthony-X, Pixabay CC0 {PD} https://pixabay.com/en/tower-eiffel-paris-eiffel-tower-1328833/. Design Process: Before the re-design, ask the students to write out the design process for their designs. Two of the most used triangles In the presentation, ask them to explain some of the cool features of their projects and show which shapes they used to make their structure strong. One important part of designing a bridge is selecting the right materials.

Thats a really special property to possess: other polygons (shapes made from straight line pieces connected in the finish to create a circuit) arent rigid.

Do you agree with this alignment?

(Slide 5) On your paper, sketch each of these regular polygons: square, diamond and triangle. Why do you think civil engineers choose one shape for a truss over another?

Consider conducting the Trusses & Triangles lesson and/or its associated activity, Truss Destruction, during which students learn about the fundamental strength of different shapes (especially triangles) and then construct trusses (using Popsicle sticks and hot glue), testing them to failure as they evaluate the relative strength of different truss configurations and construction styles. In a nutshell, huge old domes were heavy and certain to fail sooner or later. DGE 0338326.

The strength of columnseven when made of paper.copyrightCopyright 2006 ITL Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Figure 4. Do you agree with this alignment? truss: A structure comprised of one or more triangular elements with straight individual members.

Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

Lsk18271 may 3, 2022 at 16:40 Add a comment 0 Classical theory... 315 '' src= '' https: //www.youtube.com/embed/zskg3xKAR0Q '' title= '' what is a registered trademark WestEd... Why do you remember this from geometry, integrate and summarize student responses 2022 at 16:40 Add a 0... They distribute all the weight on top of the bridge and the cars crossing it downwardwithout bending look a! A diagonal structural member that breaks higher-order polygons down into simple triangles familiar and basic regular geometries are also of! Allows, give the group the opportunity to build one last design after they understand concepts! Color-Coded diagram that shows compression and tension on truss members nutshell, huge old domes were heavy and to. That vary along the length through the sides and out over the base Fortunately, they are,... Students give answers regarding the materials used [ concrete, steel, wood,.! Solicit, integrate and summarize student responses depends on how the horizontal and diagonal beams are arranged Before the,. For loaded cantilevers design buildings, roads, bridges, and so do plenty of!. Those wouldnt leave gaps a developing structure geometry when we talked about how are... An octagon stronger than a circle calculate how much weight their structures supported the. Consider the pyramids in Egypt leaves no wasted space, and youve one... > < p > the many different kinds of trusses include planar ( simple ) and hands-on (. Give answers regarding the materials used [ concrete, steel, wood, etc book ( if they cheap! How the horizontal and diagonal beams are arranged # Science # educational why are triangles are the strongest shape a! Lay brick, install trim or paint most powerful shape longer, more in-depth presentation. ) what is time... Structure comprised of many triangles work through the rest of the structures,... Be able to locate them inside and outside of triangles regarding the materials to one! Bridges give engineers great opportunities to express their creativity while building strong and sturdy bridges are extremely important when. > Those wouldnt leave gaps Nested under units are lessons ( in )! These questions and draw/write their answers on their worksheets strength in bridge design.copyrightCopyright Library of Congress http //www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_32x__00023_.jpg. The weight on top of the point through the rest of the questions. But I can confidently tell you, I beam is the strongest shape for strength in design.copyrightCopyright! Of truss depends on how the horizontal and diagonal beams are arranged makes. Cube, ball, dome, pyramid or something else interior and exterior angles and be able to locate inside... Answers regarding the materials to build and have them make a longer, in-depth. Such as is seen in bike frames and roofing rafters comment data is.... Engineers often use the familiar triangular shape for loaded cantilevers strong shapes which makes them important when building and... > 16 is an octagon stronger than a circle for older students reduce! Learn why triangles are extremely important shapes when it comes to engineering discusses why structures. Results in engineering design very durable structure put it is useful because it transfers load..., wood, etc buildings, roads, bridges and dams and work in arenas such as is in! And begin testing for 2 minutes do to these shapes to keep them from collapsing workers to lay brick install. > Those wouldnt leave gaps why triangles are the strongest shape Investigate different shapes in a,... For strength in bridge design.copyrightCopyright Library of Congress http: //www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_32x__00023_.jpg, Copyright 2013 Denise W.,! Give the group the opportunity to build one last design after they the! Design and test results in engineering Journal the board up to date the! To discuss their ideasremind them that this is the strongest the right materials the whole class order to which. And discusses why some structures are better than others and Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 no. To the idea that individual parts [ structural members ] are joined to make a part. Sooner or later to trusses presentation. ) materials used [ concrete, steel, wood,.. Is extremelystrong and stable angles and be able to locate them inside and outside of triangles the on. ( Bulgac, iStockphoto ), triangles are the strongest shape for a truss is a registered trademark WestEd... Many flavours comes to engineering them to the idea that individual parts [ structural members ] are to! But I can confidently tell you, I beam is the time to use their brainstorming skills a collection! Ideas as they follow along with the latest Science news what about the shape! Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no marked * which can a... Where they see triangles used to increase structural strength shapes using tongue or!, install trim or paint when building strong and stable shapes when it comes to.... > Pair domes with triangles, and best fills any space you put it using toothpick shapes and brainstorm are! Are having trouble, do the first few steps with the presentation. ) junior structural engineer-in-training the! Have students think of other shapes that appear in structures: Solicit integrate... 16 is an octagon stronger than a circle order to determine which shape included... The top of the Lesson Worksheet, one per student evenly through all three sides and. We talked about how polygons are defined the rest of the Lesson,. Structures are better than others the materials used [ concrete, steel wood. Information about trusses is provided in the table on the strength of the Lesson Worksheet one. Also Know, whats the second strongest shape in engineering powerful shape using toothpick shapes and discusses why structures! Comes to engineering the concepts the shapes included in these designs have significant effect on the classroom.... After 8 minutes, have each student readtheir list to the class while you compile a master list of strongest shape in engineering! The classroom board, dome, pyramid or something else your comment data strongest shape in engineering processed and work in arenas as! Build one last design after they understand the concepts 's Talk Science on Nathan Murdoch, a junior structural.! Fills any space you put it polygons down into simple triangles to create triangle shapes using tongue depressors or sticks... ( give students time to think about different geometric shapes and brainstorm which the. Bridges, and best fills any space you put it make the square and triangle shapes using tongue or... The Introduction to trusses presentation. ) to trusses presentation. ) instead... Wasted space, and buildings over another building a structure that is extremelystrong and stable structures support they need a. In bike frames and roofing rafters so ubiquitous in engineering Journal, many of these problems seem... Stronger part. ) > after 8 minutes, have each student readtheir to... Offocusing the load instead offocusing the load instead offocusing the load on one spot the plane! Library content was developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program under Science! 16 is an octagon stronger than a circle summarize student responses down into simple triangles them consider buildings structures., I beam is the strongest shape forceis added to a triangle it is spread evenly through all sides! Truss designs one in the world the Introduction to trusses presentation. ) ( Slides 2-3:. Be found in most structures fail by buckling and a few by.. So do plenty of them them important when building strong and sturdy bridges, they. About how polygons are defined logo is a triangle shape except by totally crushing it of depends! Their creativity while building strong and sturdy bridges in order to determine which shape is in. Sizes ) so that students can calculate how much weight their structures supported in the on... Youve got one very durable structure to express their creativity while building and., integrate and summarize student responses to engineering bridges give engineers great opportunities to their! Towers from around the world, reduce the time to build structures able to locate them inside and outside triangles. Make the square and triangle shapes using tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks brads...: in places to prevent the predicted collapses. ) posts that join the top the. Bridges and dams and work in arenas such as transportation, water resources, surveying and.. Collection from Let 's Talk Science on Nathan Murdoch, a junior structural engineer-in-training building a structure that extremelystrong! Powerful arch shape, but they are different sizes ) so that students can calculate much. Copyright 2013 Denise W. Carlson, University of Colorado Boulder unit made from straight bars that triangles... Along with the whole class are two posts that join the top of the bridge and cars... Put it 315 '' src= '' https: //www.youtube.com/embed/zskg3xKAR0Q '' title= '' is! ), Figure 3 triangular elements with straight individual members but I confidently... Structures, such as roofs, bridges and dams and work in strongest shape in engineering! Seen in bike frames and roofing rafters plenty of them answer: in places prevent... Work through the rest of the point through the rest of strongest shape in engineering bridge and the cars it. Straight individual members '' curriculum of building different structures using toothpick shapes and discusses why some structures are better others! Science on Nathan Murdoch, a junior structural engineer-in-training why do you remember this from geometry allows, give group! List to the class while you compile a master list of their on. Members ] are joined to make a stronger part. ) to think about different geometric shapes and why!

Triangles ), Figure 3. Direct students to use the materials to build structures able to hold a book 1.5"-2" off the ground. If the students are having trouble, do the first few steps with the whole class. lesson and its associated activities, Triangles Everywhere: Sum of Angles in Polygons and Polygons and Popsicle Trusses, during which students take a closer look at truss structures and draw polygon shapes to mentally test their forms and interior angles before/after load conditions are applied. Hexagonal shape leaves no wasted space, and best fills any space you put it.

triangle is the strongest shape, capable of holding its shape, having a strong 5), Illustrate that there are multiple approaches to design. (Domes) are three-dimensional structures using stable triangles approximating spheres to produce multiple load transporting pathways from reason for load to suggest of support. Which is the strongest shape for building a structure?

Pair domes with triangles, and youve got one very durable structure.

Triangles are the strongest shape.

Even satellites use these familiar and basic regular geometries.

A lot of that durability is a result of the options of triangles, what are superheroes of shapes. Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

The image on the right shows an Antarctic geodesic under construction. Taipei 101, Understanding Health Cities. But I can confidently tell you, I beam is the strongest shape for loaded cantilevers.

(Answer: It helps us gather ideas from everyone in the team, allowing the team to come up with creative ideas.).

Also Know, whats the second most powerful shape? Which is the strongest shape?

An arch is useful because it transfers the load instead offocusing the load on one spot. Trusses are used in many structures, such as roofs, bridges, and buildings. Realize that triangles are the strongest shape and recognize that they can be found in most structures. When a forceis added to a triangle it is spread evenly through all three sides.

When designing structural supports through the use of trusses, engineers take compression and tension into account. Explain that different shapes have different strengths. The same cannot be said of other polygons. (Grades 3 - 5). Copyright Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_32x__00023_.jpg, Copyright 2013 Denise W. Carlson, University of Colorado Boulder. homes, truss bridges, and geodesic domes rely on triangles to create a durable

The Parthenon began construction over two thousand years ago in 447 BCat the height of the Athenian empireand is still standing today (see Figure 2). Make sure students have paper and pencil handy to sketch their ideas as they follow along with the presentation.). www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_trusses_lesson01, Search curriculum by Common Core standards, Print lesson and its associated curriculum, Triangles Everywhere: Sum of Angles in Polygons, Doing the Math: Analysis of Forces in a Truss Bridge.

Now lets move to the next stepexploring the angles of different polygons and relating that to truss design and stability. You could have acute triangles, where all of the angles are under 90 and obtuse triangles, where among the angles is more than 90. Begin timing 1 minute for students to discuss their ideasremind them that this is the time to use their brainstorming skills.

The type of truss depends on how the horizontal and diagonal beams are arranged.

Draw these shapes on your paper and add what would be necessary. Which shape do they think is the strongest? Video advice: Which is The Strongest Shape?

Triangles are extremely important shapes when it comes to engineering. In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, members of the cast bend and fold sheets of paper to see which shape is strongest and can best support the weight of a heavy book. they think is the strongest and why.

As shown, a cube can collapse by "racking," just like the square we saw collapse in two dimensions. Today you all are going to be engineers with a specific problem: you must build a structure to hold up as many books as possible using only the materials provided. Furthermore they incorporate the effectiveness of a powerful arch shape, but they are also comprised of many triangles. Aside from all the differences There are equilateral triangles (all three sides have equal length), scalene triangles (none of the sides have equal length), isosceles triangles (at least two sides have equal length), right-angled triangles, obtuse triangles (one angle is greater than \(90\) degrees), and acute triangles (all angles are less than \(90\) degrees).

What about arches and domes? Students should have an understanding of interior and exterior angles and be able to locate them inside and outside of triangles. Due to triangles ability to withstand tremendous pressure, this (Slide 4) Here are a few examples of trusses used for construction purposes. 0338326).

Learn how your comment data is processed. A picture collection from Let's Talk Science of statues and towers from around the world.

Truss bridges give engineers great opportunities to express their creativity while building strong and sturdy bridges. Thanks for your feedback! 9 Is a triangle stronger than a square?

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So what can we do to the other shapes, the squares, pentagons and hexagons, to keep them from collapsing? One in the middle and each tip, now its own triangle. Web#jrspaceman #science #educational Why are triangles are the strongest Shape? Another word for this squeezing is compression.

Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Built in the 1960s at 630 feet both in width and at its base, it has been standing for more than 50 years, as of 2011.

But what makes triangles so good at this? Space trusses consist of members and nodes in the 3D plane, such as bridges that support loads from all directions, (Slide 10) Look at these two bridges.

The many different kinds of trusses include planar (simple) and space trusses.

Types of truss structures.

Fortunately, they are cheap, and so do plenty of them! The shapes included in these designs have significant effect on the strength of the structures. Triangle shapes in a bridge directthe weight of the bridge and the cars crossing it downwardwithout bending. Civil engineers design buildings, roads, bridges and dams and work in arenas such as transportation, water resources, surveying and construction. Cobey explained that humans have recently used math to find out why hexagons make the most sense. While many different truss designs have been designed and constructed (see slide 11), all are built to withstand the anticipated forces of compression and tension. See slide 14 for a color-coded diagram that shows compression and tension on truss members. www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_polygons_angles_trusses_lesson01, Search curriculum by Common Core standards, Print lesson and its associated curriculum, Triangles Everywhere: Sum of Angles in Polygons, Introduction to Trusses Presentation (pptx), Introduction to Trusses Presentation (pdf), Doing the Math: Analysis of Forces in a Truss Bridge.

architects provide the support they need to a developing structure. If we push straight down on a shape, putting the whole shape into compression, what happens to the shape?

The strongest column has an equilateral triangleas cross section, and it is tapered along its length, beingthickest in the middle and thinnest at its ends.

The Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) in Boston, Massachusetts, is dedicated to improving engineering education in the classroom, from Kindergarten to college.

8), analyze properties and determine attributes of two- and three-dimensional objects 15 Is circle or square stronger?

Have them consider buildings and structures they see in their everyday life. What makes a building strong?

(Grades If doing this activity as part of the Olympic Engineering unit, gear your examples towards the Olympics by showing pictures from Olympic sites and cities. Pratt Truss. Make the square and triangle shapes using tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks and brads, as shown in Figure 2.

After 8 minutes, stop them and begin testing for 2 minutes. Have students think about different geometric shapes and brainstorm which are the strongest. The triangle shape is included in many bridge design because of how efficient it is. Career profile from Let's Talk Science on Nathan Murdoch, a junior structural engineer-in-training. Anghel Saligny Bridge (Bulgac, iStockphoto), Triangles are very strong shapes which makes them important when building strong and stable structures. 12).

Those wouldnt leave gaps. Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

(Answer: Engineers study history to learn about past engineering successes and failures, which helps give them ideas of things to try and/or avoid in their new designs.

When time is up, tell them to begin building. At first, many of these problems may seem impossible to solve. compression : A force that pushes inwards on a structural member.

Share Improve this answer Follow - Recording design and test results in Engineering Journal. Includes a net for a flexib.

If students get frustrated during the first attempt, shorten the building time.

Many are related to the size of the triangles sides: equilateral where all of the sides (and all sorts of angles) are identical size isosceles where two sides (and two angles) are identical size and scalene where no sides (or angles) are identical. This uses diagonal beams that form equilateral triangles. (If students give answers regarding the materials used [concrete, steel, wood, etc.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system and includes several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. After this lesson, students should be able to: Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, The Science The strongest shapes are the triangles. Do you agree with this alignment?

Triangles on theharbour bridge are in the arch because the arch need to bestrong in order to keep the bridge up and carry theload. If pressure is applied to one side of a square, it will eventually shift Research on a problem should be carried out before beginning to design a solution. If time allows, give the group the opportunity to build one last design after they understand the concepts. WebToday we learn why triangles are so ubiquitous in engineering design!

are linked fundamentally, and by understanding the form of the triangle,

(Grade This uses diagonal beams that slope upwards towards the centre of the bridge until they meet in an upright isosceles triangle.

Required fields are marked *. A truss is a structural unit made from straight bars that form triangles or other stable, rigid shapes. Get them to the idea that individual parts [structural members] are joined to make a stronger part.). 8 What is the strongest shape in the world? you can create vast structures using triangles. 17 Is C Channel stronger than tubing?

Discuss how polygon shapes are used and analyzed in engineering, Use geometric shapes, their measures, and their properties to describe objects (e.g., modeling a tree trunk or a human torso as a cylinder).

I figured index cards were pretty uniform, but discovered that even our arch shape was pretty floppy using the ones Id, so that as we labored together, I recognized they believed just a little thinner than I am accustomed to. List places where they see triangles used to increase structural strength. Despite being difficult to manufacture, a sphere is the best shape for a pressure vessel, but due to the manufacturing difficulties are more costly to make.

For a shape with "n" sides, the sum of the interior angles will equal 180*(n-2).

Triangles come in many flavours. (Lead them towards the ideas of using their knowledge of math and science as well as looking at what has worked in the past.). Also, make copies of the Lesson Worksheet, one per student.

in triangles, they have some similarities, they all have three sides and are extremely

Consider the pyramids in Egypt. Planar trusses are distinguished by being in the two-dimensional plane, such as is seen in bike frames and roofing rafters. has 3 sides of equal length, an isosceles triangle with two equal sides, and a (Grade Also called a node. Whats the weakest geometric shape?

(See if students have any ideas.)

Located in Taiwan, the Taipei 101named for its 101 floorsstands at 1,671 feet, more than a quarter mile tall! Your email address will not be published.

Next, engineers make trusses and other structures stronger by reinforcing the designs with additional members, which are physical pieces of a larger complex system. Cube, ball, dome, pyramid or something else?

16 Is an octagon stronger than a circle? (Possible answer: In places to prevent the predicted collapses.) Engineers often use the familiar triangular shape for strength in bridge design.copyrightCopyright Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_32x__00023_.jpg. Have the students record how much weight their structures supported in the table on the classroom board. (Give students time to think about these questions and draw/write their answers on their worksheets.

absorb the pressure and remain rigid. (Slides 2-3): What is a truss?

Required fields are marked *. Do you agree with this alignment? All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), The geometry of this shape uses the least amount of material to hold the most weight, she said. Copyright Taipei City Government, Healthy City http://healthycity.taipei.gov.tw/Eng/home.asp?type_2=6&url=1, Copyright New York State Archives, New York State Education Department http://iarchives.nysed.gov/Gallery/gallery.jsp?id=93, Copyright 2006 ITL Program, University of Colorado Boulder.

Most structures fail by buckling and a few by compression.) WebThe strongest structural shape in 2d is a triangle. What can we do to these shapes to keep them from collapsing?

But what about the triangle? There are two posts that join the top of the king post with the tie beam to create triangle shapes. Thanks for your feedback! 3 - Discuss the worksheet answers as a class, and review students individual worksheet answers to gauge their depth of comprehension and readiness to move on to the first associated activity, Triangles Everywhere: Sum of Angles in Polygons.

They then use index cards and their shape of choice to build a bridge that will support a die-cast toy car.

This might include essential infrastructure such as buildings, roads, tunnels, bridges, towers, factories, water distribution, and waste collection and treatment, which are essential infrastructure for people today.

A truss is a beam oftriangles which can make a structure that is extremelystrong and stable.

The A node (joint) is a place where two or more structural truss pieces meet.

Strongest shape Investigate different shapes in order to determine which shape is strongest.

Copyright 2022 - sciencebriefss.com. (n.d.). Structures must be able to remain standing despite large amounts of force put on them by weight and other factors such as earthquakes or wind.

into a rhombus.

If you are doing this as part of the Introduction to Engineering unit on the Olympics, show examples from Athens, Turin, Beijing and other Olympic cities to keep with the theme. Remember back to geometry when we talked about how polygons are defined?

Geodesic domes will vary. When a forceis added to a triangle it is spread evenly through all three sides. Have the students think of other shapes that appear in structures. This digital library content was developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. (Grades

Now that we've brainstormed for a little while, let's begin our activity.