Styrofoam Cup Bridge

Materials:
3 Styrofoam cups
2 pieces of typing paper
12 pennies

Directions:
1)Use two of the Styrofoam cups to balance one sheet of paper.
2)Put the third cup on the top of the balanced sheet of paper in the center.
3)How many pennies will the bridge support?
4)Now, take the other piece of paper and fold it like an accordion.
5)Do the same set up with the cups but put the accordion piece of paper as the bridge.
6)How many pennies will this bridge support? Why do you think the shape of the paper made a difference in the strength of the bridge?

*When the weight can be spread out with a support structure (folding), the bridge becomes stronger. The accordion fold spreads the force or weight; this allows more of the paper to be used to support the cup.

 

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