Spaghetti bridge

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

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/spaghetti-bridge

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 is the primary structural element?Uncooked spaghetti, valued for its tensile strength and uniformity
2. What is the key geometric principle?Triangulation, providing inherent structural rigidity and stability
3. Why do engineers use triangles in spaghetti bridges?Triangles are very stable because their angles can’t change without changing the side lengths. This makes the bridge stronger and less likely to bend.
4. How does glue help a spaghetti bridge?Glue sticks the spaghetti pieces together and transfers the forces between them. This makes the whole bridge work as one strong unit.

Truss: A framework of interconnected triangles designed to distribute loads efficiently.
Stress and Strain: Stress is force per area; strain is the resulting deformation of a material.
Composite Material: A material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties.