Building a Simple Bridge

Objective

Create a simple bridge model and test its load-bearing capacity.

Materials

• Popsicle sticks
• Glue
• Weights (e.g., coins, small bags of sand)
• Ruler
• Notebook for observations

Instructions

1. Design a bridge structure using popsicle sticks and sketch your design in your notebook.
2. Assemble the bridge by gluing the popsicle sticks together following your design.
3. Allow the glue to dry completely before testing the bridge.
4. Place the bridge between two supports, such as books or blocks.
5. Add weights incrementally to the center of the bridge until it collapses.
6. Record the maximum weight the bridge could support in your notebook.
7. Analyze your design to understand which parts of the bridge were the strongest and which were the weakest.
8. Modify your design to improve its load-bearing capacity and retest.