bigjule

I am hoping I can get some help from the collective wisdom of this group. I am writing a live theatre show for the hands-on Science and Technology museum I work for. I am trying to find interactive and creative ways to demonstrate 4 basic forces that structures encounter: bending, compression, shear and tension. Does anyone have any ideas for demonstrations or web-sites that might be helpful? Just a note I work for a non-profit museum so I'm not making any money off of this venture.
Thanks!

Kadath

Could you use someone like Gumby?

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onetime2

Bending: Strong Man/woman bending a bar around his/her neck

Compression: Two people (one on each end of the stage) with either end of a slinky. Both let go and you've got compression.

Shear: Hair clipper and a volunteer?

Tension: See the before part of Compression above.

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TIO

tee hee hee

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Strewth

lafemmefatale

When I was taking physics 12, our class had to do projects with a computer software called 'Interactive Physics' to simulate textbook problems. Now mind you I hated this program but it may be what you're looking for. I can't say for certain if it will cover all 4 of your needs, it is definately very visual, attachment of picutres may make it more creative, and it is interactive.

http://www.interactivephysics.com/simulations.html

that's they're official site, but the files can't be played unless you have the prog. As well i presume there maybe similar [and better] programs that will help you with these sorts of things.

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SaltPork

Bending: Bend someone over, then take them from behind.

Compression: Have a woman straddle a man's face and then push down on her shoulders.

Shear: Cut off someone's head.

Tension: Do all of the above in front of their family members.

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It was like that when I got here....I swear.

cowlick

No better visual than the tacoma narrows bridge coming down...

http://www.enm.bris.ac.uk/research/n...ma/tacnarr.mpg

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leakie

What about Playdough? You could demonstrate all these things with playdough, and it would be fun cause everyone loves to play with it. I'm not sure how well it would work in an interactive exhibit, though, since you'd have to find a way to keep people from walking away with the stuff.

For compression you could do the marshamallow in a vaccum jar trick.

Bending introduces both compression and tension in a structural member - maybe you could use this concept for a "conclusion" demo or something.

also for compression maybe you could do something with rolled up paper tubes supporting a weight

I remember once in my senior high physics class the teacher demonstrated torsion and shear by taking a piece of chalk and twisting it axially until it broke - the shape of the broken halves was supposed to show something (but I just can't remember what )

i'll post more if i think of anything.

telekinetic2

Re: chalk halves, it's supposed to show that objects in torsional stress will shear on a 45 degree angle ;-)