Types of Forces
What force pushes materials together?
Compression
Name one way to increase stability.
Wider base / lower CoG
What type of structure is a bridge?
Frame structure
Which force acts on a backpack strap?
Tension
A door twisting on its hinge →
Torsion
What force pulls materials apart?
tension
Why does a grain silo have a wide circular base?
Stability
Which shape is naturally strongest?
Triangle
What force acts on a column holding up weight?
Compression
A person standing on snowshoes →
Increase stability / increase surface area)
What force twists a material?
What happens when the centre of gravity is too high?
Structure becomes unstable/tips easily
What part of a barn wall resists sideways movement?
Bracing
What force causes wind to push on a barn?
A leaning tower with a high centre of gravity →
What force slides one part of a material past another?
Shear
Which is more stable: tall & narrow or short & wide?
Short and wide
Why are arches strong?
They redirect forces into the ground
Why do skyscrapers sway slightly?
Wind forces + flexibility prevents breaking
A triangle inside a square frame →
Bracing increases stability
A diving board mostly experiences two forces?
Tension and compression
Explain why trusses increase stability.
They distribute forces + add rigidity
Identify one natural and one human-made structure.
Answers vary
Why do bridges use cables?
Tension provide support
A cracked beam under uneven load
Shear or compression failure