Florida is the home of hot, humid weather, the NASA space
program, and the space shuttle. Space shuttle launches seem like
routine events now, with little possibility of disasters like those
associated with the initial rocket launches of the 1960s. But a
disaster did occur on January 28, 1986, when the “Challenger”
space shuttle blew up with seven astronauts on board.
Investigators had to study pictures, videos, data from computers,
design specifications, and weather conditions to piece together the
cause of the explosion of the fuel tanks. Investigations led scientists
to believe that the tragic event was due to a leak through an “O”
ring (similar to those found in water faucets to prevent
leakage/dripping of water) in the booster rockets. It was also noted
that weather for that day had been uncharacteristically cold.
What caused the normally tight fitting “O” rings to leak and the
subsequent explosion of the fuel tanks? Explain your thinking.
We've taken a good look at the different types of structures so far in Science but today we are going to determine why some structures can be better than others, depending on the need. Let's start with our favourite - Bill Nye!!
Think back to when you were young. It may have been a rainy day, a cold day or maybe it was even too hot outside. You felt like you had nothing to do when one of your friends suggests, "Let's build a fort!" You then found a few blankets, a couple pillows, stacked them along the sides of the couch, added a stuffed animal or two for support, and magically created the "best fort ever!"
Even from a young age, you will have experienced that the materials you use and the way you use them directly relates to the strength of a structure. Remember trying to balance that last cushion on the top and it just would not stay? Remember finally getting everything balanced but then you couldn't find a spot to slide in to, then only to have the whole thing collapse just as you had finally perfected it!
Though on a much bigger scale, architects, city planners and developers are "balancing cushions" to ensure the structures they build can withstand the forces put upon them while still on budget. There is also greater pressure to create structures that are structurally sound but are built using sustainable, ethically sourced materials.
Today we will take a look at the many structures all around us. Though many of these items and buildings we may see every day, after taking a closer look, we will see there is much more to them than meets the eye. We will be learning about structures and forces with the goal of creating our own spaghetti bridge that will sustain a specific force. We will test them together to learn about what works and what doesn't when it comes to structural design. We may even have a Spaghetti Bridge Champion!
So let's take a closer look at the existing structures around us - both man-made and found in nature, so we can see what works!
Structures - Where can we find them? How do they help us? Who makes them?
While watching the video, we will be taking "Sketchnotes" to help us make connections and build our understanding of structures. This will be a method that we will often use in Science and this is our first chance to try it out. Before we begin, take a look at some of the creations from my students last year as well as a "how-to video" to help us get started.
