Description of Paper Structure Experiment 

Objective

To use simple materials to construct a support structure that can hold up appreciable weight and discuss how this works.

Terms to discuss

Tension: This is the force when you pull on something like pulling a string tight as with the balloon experiment.

Compression:This is the force you exert when you try to crush something such as a potato chip

Column: This is a cylinder that you can make out of lots of different  material.  Examples would include wood, concrete and sometimes paper 

Tripod: This is an arrangement that is commonly used to support things like cameras, paintings (easels) and other structures 

Materials used

For each team of 4-5 students, you will need 20 sheets of plain paper and 20 soda rings from either soda bottles or water bottles. 

Steps to perform

Divide the class into groups of 4-6.

1. You each get 20 sheets of copier paper and a soda rings in a group.
2. There is a time limit of 10 minutes for construction of the structure so that time will remain for testing.
3. The goal is to build a structure that is at least 11" tall (Note: the  dimensions of paper to be 8.5 x 11") and is intended to hold up textbooks.
4. 5 Points will be awarded for each 1" the structure is tall 
5. 5 points will also be awarded for each textbook that can be supported by the structure.

Discussion on Paper Structure Experiment

What factors helped the winning structure to hold more books?

What does this experiment teach you about building structures like supports for bridges?

What weakness do this type of structure have?

Name two ways to make the structure stronger

What would you expect the maximum number of textbooks to be?

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