Lightening holes

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lightening-holes

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What are lightening holes and why do engineers use them?Lightening holes are small holes cut into parts to make them lighter while staying strong. They help engineers keep the part strong but use less material.
2. How do lightening holes make cars and airplanes better?In cars, lighter parts mean faster acceleration and better fuel economy. In airplanes, less weight saves fuel and lets them carry more cargo.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA): A computational method used to predict how a product reacts to real-world forces, vibration, heat, and other physical effects.
Stress Concentration: The geometric intensification of stress in the vicinity of a discontinuity or irregularity, such as a hole or notch.
Additive Manufacturing: A process of making a three-dimensional object layer by layer from a digital model, commonly known as 3D printing.