Students explore how tension and compression forces act on three different bridge types. Using sponges, cardboard and string, they create models of beam, arch and suspension bridges and apply forces to understand how they disperse or transfer these loads.

Students are presented with a brief history of bridges as they learn about the three main bridge types: beam, arch and suspension. They are introduced to two natural forces tension and compression common to all bridges and structures. Throughout history, and today, bridges are important for connecting people to resources, places and other people. Students become more aware of the variety and value of bridges around us in our everyday lives.

In this activity, learners observe as soap bubbles float on a cushion of carbon dioxide gas. Learners blow bubbles into an aquarium filled with a slab of dry ice. Learners will be amazed as the bubbles hover on the denser layer of carbon dioxide gas, then begin to expand and sink before freezing on the dry ice. Use this activity to discuss sublimation, density, and osmosis as well as principles of buoyancy, semipermeability, and interference.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"New research shows that rule changes can spare high school ice hockey players from serious injury without altering the game’s competitive nature. The results point to new and effective ways of safeguarding countless student-athletes who play full-contact sports. Ice hockey is one of the most physical collision sports. Of the nearly 45,000 players who play at the high school level in the U.S., about 12,000 seek care in emergency departments for injuries suffered on the ice. Despite strategies to curb malicious play, the potential for serious head, neck, and spinal injury remains high, as players are still allowed to body check opponents. One promising tactic is to set a penalty-minute threshold for players who incur excessive penalties. This so-called “Fair Play” approach has been shown to reduce hockey player injuries without compromising competitive play—though only at the scale of a single tournament..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast builds a suspension bridge from a couple of chairs, some cardboard, and rope.

Students learn why shock absorbers are necessary on vehicles, how they dampen the action of springs, and what factors determine the amount of dampening. They conduct an experiment to determine the effect of spring strength and port diameter on the effectiveness of a shock absorber. Using a syringe, a set of springs, and liquids of different viscosities, students determine the effects of changing pressures and liquids on the action of a model shock absorber. They analyze their data through the lens of an engineer.