Alpha science classroom：DIY Paper Bridges

The magic bridge can help the people across the rivers and seas. Have you ever walked, biked, or driven on the long bridge? It must be enough strong to support the weight of people and cars without collapsing. The important part of a bridge is with the correct materials. The other factor is to ensure the shape of the material to make the bridges are strong. Today, the Alpha science classroom will teach the children to make a paper bridge with paper and tapes. They can learn the best structure to build a bridge by the kid's science experiments. The kids would build their own miniature bridge and explore physics science.

Alpha Science Classroom: DIY paper bridge materials

• Four thick books (such as school textbooks, recipes, etc.)

• At least six pieces of construction paper

• Scotch tape

• Ruler or tape measure

Alpha Science Classroom: DIY paper bridge steps

Step 1: The children create two stacks, each with two textbooks. Place them on a table, floor, or another flat surface less than two feet away from each other.

Step 2: The children align the two pieces of paper end to end, so the short sides only slightly overlap (about a quarter of an inch). Use a long strip of scotch tape to bind the two sheets of paper together. These two pieces of paper will form a "bridge". Repeat this process and add four more pairs of paper so that the children can form a total of five bridges.

Step 3: Build a bridge that is tied together, and place one end on top of each pile of textbooks, overlapping by about half an inch. Children may need to slide textbooks closer or farther. What's wrong with the paper? Does it stay in the air or sag under its own weight?

Step 4: Now, use your next paper bridge tied together. Roll it tightly into a long tube and keep the tube closed with a few pieces of tape. As before, place the test tube at the top of the textbook. What's wrong with the tube? Will it stay or crash?

Step 5: The children pick up the next bridge tied together with tape and fold it longitudinally into a "W" shape (this means that when you look at the short end, you should see a W shape). To do this, first, fold it in half lengthwise, and then fold it in half in the opposite direction (a total of three folds, dividing the paper into four equal parts). As before, place a W shape on your textbook. What will happen this time?

Which bridge is in the best condition? The fastest crash?

Alpha science classroom: DIY Paper Bridges observation results

The alpha science classroom believes that children should have discovered that flat paper is easy to bend and fall under its own weight. However, bending or rolling these sheets of paper will greatly increase their bending stiffness, allowing them to form a bridge between the textbook stacks. Try to look around for examples of this principle in daily life. For example, children at school may have desks and chairs with metal legs. Is the leg a flat metal piece or a tube? Why do you think that cylindrical tubes can support a person's weight better than flat tubes?

Wow, our bridge is completed. Can you use different toys to go across the bridge? Then record the weight of different toys to see the impact on the bridge. Now DIY paper bridges in the Alpha science classroom are over. With your imagination, you can create different bridges with different materials and test the impact of gravity on the bridge in different ways.

If you want to know physical science knowledge, go to Alpha science toys to choose your favorite physical science experiment toys. You may be next to Newton by exploring physical science.